Frederick Douglass Letters: These six letters were written by Frederick Douglass, former slave and prominent black anti-slavery activist and orator, to Miss Hannah Fuller, organizer of the Skaneateles Ladies Anti-Slavery Society.
This page features a closer look at some interesting materials that are part of the New York State Library's vast collection.
Frederick Douglass Letters: These six letters were written by Frederick Douglass, former slave and prominent black anti-slavery activist and orator, to Miss Hannah Fuller, organizer of the Skaneateles Ladies Anti-Slavery Society.
Written between 1855-1857, the letters show the close working relationships that Douglass forged with white women leaders of the anti-slavery movement. It is clear from the letters that Douglass was an ardent proponent of women's rights and recognized the contributions women made to the anti-slavery movement.
Theodore Roosevelt and His Era - An illustrated exhibit of books, manuscripts, magazine articles, sheet music, memorabilia and artifacts related to Theodore Roosevelt based on the collection gathered by Lyall Squair of Syracuse. Included are the papers of John D. Miley, aide-de-camp of Gen. William Shafter, commander of U.S. troops in Cuba during the Spanish-American War; a collection of postcards depicting Theodore Roosevelt and subjects related to him, things named after him, teddy bears and animals he hunted, and the papers of Frederic Sturdevant, a newspaper columnist who traveled with Roosevelt in Africa.
Fred Abele Transportation History Collection: The print collection includes thousands of photographs and slides of trains and train stations, as well as many, if not most of the negatives from which they were made. There are also ticket stubs, postcards, timetables and even a few blueprints for railroad stations, stock certificates as well as some illustrations drawn by Mr. Abele. Another important part of the collection are Mr. Abele's research notes.
The Manuscripts and Special Collections Unit of the New York State Library invites you to take a virtual behind-the-scenes tour of the processing of a recently acquired collection. This is your chance to see how State Library staff process a collection of 38 cubic feet of photographs, prints, postcards and other ephemera so that researchers can use it.
![engraving of Major John Andre going from the Sloop Vulture to the Shore of Havershaw [sic] Bay](andresm.jpg)
Freedom's Treasures: The pursuit of freedom, a profoundly American story, is richly illustrated in treasures belonging to the people of New York State. Our founding fathers—including George Washington, whose personal belongings and writings are represented here—established a sovereign, independent nation in the years following the Revolutionary War. These and other treasures, held in trust for all New Yorkers by the New York State Archives, Library, and Museum, capture the distinctive history and enduring spirit of New York.
The George Washington Collection: One of
the most famous documents in American history, George Washington's
Farewell Address, is preserved in its first draft
in the collections of the New York State Library. Penned in Washington's
own handwriting, complete with strike-outs and corrections, the 19-page
document was drafted and sent to Alexander Hamilton for comment on May
15, 1796. The Virtual Visit contains sample pages from this document
plus photos of a bronze bust of Washington, a sword, pistol, and compass
which belonged to him, and more.
Lincoln's
Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation: One of the nation's greatest
documentary treasures, the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation
issued by President Abraham Lincoln on September 22, 1862, has been
part of the New York State Library's collection since 1865.
The unassuming appearance of this four page declaration in Lincoln's hand tends to mask the significance of what one source declared to be the "most important and far-reaching document ever issued since the formulation of this government".
The Firefighters Collection: The New York State Library in Albany has one of the most extensive collections
anywhere of historic resources on the individual fires,
firefighters and firefighting equipment of New York State, and the
collection played a pivotal role in completing a memorial to fallen
firefighters unveiled at the Empire State Plaza on October 5,
1998.
Bryologia Europaea: One of the most significant natural history books from the 19th century has become part of the Library's collections. The rare, 140-year old
publication is teaching biologists something about the little known biodiversity of New York's Adirondack High Peak region.
Almanacs: The Library's Almanac Collection includes paper copies of over 10,000 almanacs, dating from 1684 to the present, including several editions of two of the best known American almanacs: the Old Farmer's Almanack and Poor Richard's Almanac.
In its simplest form, an almanac contains a calendar with notations for holidays and holy days, as well as astronomical information such as the rising and setting of the sun and moon, the phases of the moon and high and low tides. By the nineteenth century, however, many almanacs had expanded to other information deemed useful, and there were also a variety of almanacs aimed at specific populations.
Be sure to visit other online exhibits in the Office of Cultural Education: