BGuthrie Photos: DC -- NMAAHC -- Exhibit: Uncle Tom's Cabin: Early and Notable Editions

DC -- NMAAHC -- Exhibit: Uncle Tom's Cabin: Early and Notable Editions:

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Description of Pictures: Uncle Tom's Cabin: Early and Notable Editions
February 28, 2020 – May 6, 2021
There are varying opinions about the novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin, yet it is inarguably one of the most influential books in American history. Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811–1896) to inform readers of the appalling realities of American slavery, it was first published in March 1852. The novel quickly became an international bestseller, second only in sales at that time to the Bible.
The exhibit shows the early and notable editions of the novel in the library’s collection, as well as its interesting publishing history. First published by John P. Jewett & Company, it changed ownership among U.S. publishers at least four times before the copyright expired in 1893. Each publisher also attempted to capitalize on its popularity by publishing new and “special” editions, where new elements, illustrations, and commentary were added. As a result, the novel was a bestseller for well over 30 years after it was first published and has continued to inspire numerous other publications and works of art.

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Specific picture descriptions: Photos above with "i" icons next to the bracketed sequence numbers (e.g. "[1] ") are described as follows:
1. UNCLE_200307_005.JPG: Research Library and Archives At the center of research across the Smithsonian are the specialized branches of the Smithsonian Libraries. The National Museum of African American History and Culture Research Library and Archives, one of 21 locations of the Smithsonian Libraries, is devoted to providing access to resources that support the scholarship of researchers from around the world who study African American history, culture, and the African diaspora. The Library is accessible by appointment to visiting scholars, independent researchers, and others pursuing knowledge. Visit the Smithsonian Libraries website at library.si.edu for more information.
2. UNCLE_200307_013.JPG: Uncle Tom's Cabin Early and Notable Editions There are varying opinions about the novel Uncle Tom's Cabin, yet is is inarguably one of the most influential books in American history. Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896) to inform readers of the appalling realities of American slavery, it was first published in March 1852. The novel quickly became an international bestseller, second only in sales at that time to the Bible. This exhibit shows some early and notable editions of the novel, as well as its interesting publishing history. First published by John P. Jewett & Company, it changed ownership among U.S. publishers at least four times before the copyright expired in 1893. Each publisher attempted to capitalize on its popularity by publishing new and "special" editions, where new elements, illustrations, and commentary were added. As a result, the novel was a bestseller for well over 30 years after it was first published and has continued to inspired numerous other publications and works of art.
3. UNCLE_200307_017.JPG: "I wrote what I did because as a woman, as a mother, I was oppressed and broken-hearted with the sorrows and injustice I saw, because as a Christian I felt the dishonor to Christianity -- because as a lover of my country, I trembled at the coming day of wrath." -- Harriet Beecher Stowe, 1853, in a letter to Lord Thomas Denman of London, England
4. UNCLE_200307_042.JPG: Harriet Beecher Stowe, ca 1865
5. UNCLE_200307_046.JPG: Harriet Beecher Stowe was born in Litchfield, Connecticut, on June 14, 1811. According to Elizabeth Burgess of the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center in Hartford, Connecticut, Stowe "considered herself an ardent anti-slavery author because of her Christian faith, and by virtue of writing about American enslavement, she came to fully understand the inhumane cruelty enslaved Americans lived through."
6. UNCLE_200307_058.JPG: Uncle Tom's Cabin is first published as a novel in a two-volume set on March 20, 1852, by the John P. Jewett publishing company. Approximately 10,000 copies were sold in the first week, prompting multiple reprints. The reprints were identified by their quantity: 10,000 for the second printing, 15,000 for the third printing, etc. On display is a first edition, second printing.
7. UNCLE_200307_066.JPG: Shortly after the initial U.S. publication, the novel became a hit throughout Europe where it was quickly translated and reprinted. This 1852 London edition is an example of one of the earliest international editions published.
8. UNCLE_200307_070.JPG: In response to the book, a multitude of other novels were published to defend slavery and the southern image. These novels, which often painted a picture of slavery in opposition to Stowe's (such as happy slaves who were well-taken care of), became known as the "anti-Uncle Tom's Cabin," or often shortened to the "anti-Toms." Aunt Phillis's Cabin, published just four months after Uncle Tom's Cabin, was one of the first such novels.
9. UNCLE_200307_089.JPG: Each publisher who held the copyright attempted to maximize on the popularity of the novel by continually publishing new or special editions. This special edition was published by John P. Jewett to take advantage of the 1852 Christmas season.
10. UNCLE_200307_092.JPG: Stowe's critics harshly criticized her novel as propaganda with an inaccurate and unfair portrayal of slavery, and with characters who were not based on research or firsthand accounts. Stowe's response to those critics, The Key to Uncle Tom's Cabin, presents the facts and research behind the novel.
11. UNCLE_200307_100.JPG: The dramatization of Uncle Tom's Cabin became as successful as the book, and according to Theatre Database, "It held the stage for more than a half a century." This is one of the most popular versions of the play written by American playwright, George L. Aiken.
12. UNCLE_200307_108.JPG: Houghton, Osgood and Company's (later becoming Houghton Mifflin) first edition of the novel. It contained new illustrations and a new introduction by Stowe.
13. UNCLE_200307_111.JPG: In response to a lag in sales, Houghton Mifflin published this smaller, one-volume that became known as the "Popular Edition." It was priced lower than previous Houghton editions in hopes of appealing to buyers who wanted something more affordable and portable.
14. UNCLE_200307_114.JPG: Known as the "Brunswick Edition," Houghton published this in an effort to release one more edition before the copyright expired in 1893. The illustration included is of Stowe's house in Brunswick, Maine, where she wrote the novel.
15. UNCLE_200307_137.JPG: In its great publishing history, numerous versions of Uncle Tom's Cabin have included illustrations, which is what might make a particular edition "notable." Such is the case with this 20th century version, richly illustrated with lithographs by Mexican American artist Miguel Covarrubias.
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Same Subject: Click on this link to see coverage of items having the same subject: [(Smithsonian) National Museum of African American History and Culture] [Museums (History)]
2020 photos: Well, that was a year, wasn't it? The COVID-19 pandemic cut off most events here in DC after March 11. The child president's handling of the pandemic was a series of disastrous missteps and lies, encouraging his minions to not wear masks and dramatically increasing infections and deaths here.The BLM protests started in June, made all the worse by the child president's inability to have any empathy for anyone other than himself. Then of course he tried to steal the election in November. What a year! Equipment this year: I continued to use my Fuji XS-1 cameras but, depending on the event, I also used a Nikon D7000. The farthest distance I traveled after that was about 40 miles. I only visited sites in four states -- Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and DC. That was the least amount of travel I had done since 1995. Number of photos taken this year: about 246,000, the fewest number of photos I had taken in any year since 2007.
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