This image is one of several that were popular during the war showing white children who, because of their African-American blood and mixed racial heritage, had been held as slaves in New Orleans. The three children were named, Rosa, Rebecca and Charley. Images of the three children posed together and separately, were sold to raise money for the education of freed slaves in the Department of the Gulf.

This view is titled “LEARNING IS WEALTH” and shows the children being read to by another former slave named Wilson Chinn. Mr. Chinn is well-know for an image that shows him wearing a slave collar and chains. In this particular view he sits at right holding a book as if reading to the children. A period description of Mr. Chinn reads:

“Wilson Chinn is about 60 years old, he was “raised” by Isaac Howard of Woodford County, Kentucky. When 21 years old he was taken down the river and sold to Volsey B. Marmillion, a sugar planter about 45 miles above New Orleans. This man was accustomed to brand his negroes, and Wilson has on his forehead the letters “V. B. M.” Of the 210 slaves on this plantation 105 left at one time and came into the Union camp. Thirty of them had been branded like cattle with a hot iron, four of them on the forehead, and the others on the breast or arm.”

Image has excellent clarity and contrast. Paper and mount are good.

Reverse has a photographer’s imprint for CHAS. PAXSON, NEW YORK who produced all the images in this series. Reverse also has publication information and date of 1864. Below that is a printed statement that the proceeds from the sale of this image is for the education of colored people in the Department of the Gulf. There is also an orange 2 cent tax stamp and just below and partially obscured by the stamp is “No. 6” which is the number of this image within the Charley, Rosa and Rebecca series.

This is a great image and one that is hard to find.  [ad]

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