Langdon Manor Books has released their Catalog 20. LGBTQ+ & Women. While a few books appear, this is primarily a selection of ephemeral material. Flyers, pamphlets, posters, documents, photographs, and very personal items including diaries and personal letters. They were created by or for the two aforementioned groups, who, in the parlance of Venn diagrams, sometimes overlap and other times do not. Then there are a few items related to other minority groups, Blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans. They all may have faced unique obstacles on their way to the future, but this is America, the good and the bad. Here are a few selections.
Having said there are few books in this catalogue, here is an exception. The title is Mary S. Peake, the Colored Teacher at Fortress Monroe, by Rev. Lewis C. Lockwood, published circa 1863 by the American Tract Society. Mary S. Kelsey Peake, daughter of a notable white Englishman and a free Black woman, taught free Blacks and slaves in Washington and Virginia, illegal at the time. She made her living as a dressmaker. During the Civil War, escaped slaves fled to Fort Monroe for protection by Union soldiers, the “Grand Contraband Camp” (so called as the escaped slaves were considered “contraband,” which meant they could not be returned to their masters). Mary Peake came to the Fort to instruct the Black children, later older people in the evening too. At first she taught them under a big oak tree, later called the “Emancipation Tree.” She was supported by the American Missionary Association. Later, the Missionary Association provided her Brown Cottage where she could teach inside. Brown Cottage became the first structure on Hampton College when it was formed in 1868. The college traces its roots to Mary Peake's teaching under the Emancipation Tree. Hampton University now has over 3,000 students and the Emancipation Tree still stands. Sadly, Mary Peake didn't live to see Hampton College or even Emancipation, succumbing to TB in 1862. Item 49. Priced at $3,750.
Life has always been more challenging for the gay community, intolerance from large parts of society always there. Unfortunately, much of it has come from people professing to justify such behavior on religious grounds. Those who show no interest in following such commands as love thy neighbor or welcome the stranger manage to find words in the Bible they can use to justify mistreating others who are different. Item 26 is an 8-page accordion fold-out HOMOSEXUALITY What the Bible Does...And Does Not Say. It was published circa 1976-1980 by the Metropolitan Community Church of Dallas. Rather than the typical pride-oriented fight-back gay publication, this one was designed to provide strength to those hurt by persecution from those professing religious grounds. “You may have been deeply hurt by a particular priest's or minister's attitude toward homosexuality,” it says, “but do not judge. Any time you let a hypocrite stand between you and God, the hypocrite is then closer to God than you are.” It goes on to note, “Jesus Christ died for our sins, not our sexuality.” The Metropolitan Community Churches are an association of churches that welcome the persecuted, particularly those from the LGBTQ+ community. $350.
Abortion was once illegal in America (and again is now in many states after that right was recently denied by the Supreme Court). In the 19th century, abortions took place, but in the back alleys rather than doctors' offices. Ann Trow Lohman, aka Madame Restell, was one such provider, a controversial woman who found herself often at odds with the law. She also called herself a physician and sold various pills to “cure” and prevent pregnancy that did not work. Lohman authored a book with her husband and brother, The Married Woman's Private Medical Companion... published in 1847. It was written while “Madame Restell” was in prison. It asks, “Is it not plainly, clearly, incontrovertibly desirable, that parents should have the power to limit their offspring, whether they choose to exercise it or not?” The book goes on to say that no man should interfere with a woman's choice. “She it is who bears the burden, and therefore with her also should the decision rest.” Item 65. $2,350.
This is a quintessentially overlooked American group, Native Americans. Perhaps when you are taking someone else's land, you can somehow justify it to yourself if you think of them as “savages” rather than humans. Irene Beaulieu (Wenonah) and Kathleen Woodward (To-wam-pah) tried to set the record straight in this 1916 book, Tribute to a Vanishing Race. They were members of the Osage and Sioux tribes. The preface explains its intention is to be “a correction, as far as lies in our power, of erroneous statements that have been accepted as authority, copied, quoted and believed, forming an unfair basis for adverse opinion against the Real Americans.” This copy was inscribed by To-wam-pah to “Margaret,” “May this little volume convey a better understanding of America's first people. History left a difficult heritage to live down. Historians have, after all, expressed the sentiment of the time and not always consistent. It would be difficult to be the Savage they are painted and the 'Noble Red man' that they really are.” Item 76. $950.
Moving from Tennessee to Texas would not be a big deal these days, but it was when Almira Barnett moved. Nevertheless, she obviously felt that was a wise decision. In 1859, she wrote this letter to her brother encouraging him to do the same. “There is no doubt in my own mind but you would enjoy good health here,” she writes. “I never enjoyed such health in my life as I have done in Texas. Mr. Barnett has never been in bed an hour from sickness since we were married.” She also says that if he can stay out of debt where he is, he will do well enough in Texas to purchase a new slave every year. Barnett also claims that people are not “heathens” in Texas but that society is just a good as where they live. The back of the second page contains a letter, from Almira's 10-year-old daughter Lizzie. Item 84. $350.
Langdon Manor also offers two more letters from Barnett. They are not quite as enthusiastic though still positive. She notes the “burning hot summers” are destroying her complexion and there is very little rain, but while the corn crop will be short, there will still be enough for bread.
Langdon Manor Books may be reached at 713-443-4697 or Orders@Langdonmanorbooks.com. Their website is found at www.langdonmanorbooks.com.
