Broadsides

Collection Number: 53 Box: 3 Folder: 127https://dh.howard.edu/ooh_broadsides/1000/thumbnail.jp

Empathy or Entertainment? The Form and Function of Violent Crime Narratives in Early-Nineteenth Century Broadsides

This article will explore the meaning and morality of popular accounts of violent crime in early-nineteenth century broadsides. Broadsides were a form of street literature and, for almost 300 years until the latter half of the nineteenth century, they were a forerunner to our modern tabloid newspapers. These flimsy sheets were published on a wide range of topics, but by far the most prevalent were those covering violent crime, especially murder. The publication of these broadsides reached a peak in the first half of the nineteenth century and their popular appeal was greatest among the labouring poor. This has led several critics, both then and now, to dismiss this cheap literature as merely gruesome and sensationalistic entertainment, appealing to the evidently debased and ignorant tastes of the uneducated masses. However, this article will argue that not only were these broadsides often far less gory than others have claimed, but also that these representations of murder held more social significance than vicarious gratification for their readers. For what is often overlooked is the fact that these dramatic depictions of violent crime reveal compassion rather than cruelty, and this article therefore will suggest that early-nineteenth century broadsides, in emphasising murder, actually reflected tastes that were more moral than morbid

MS-195: Early American Document Collection

The Early American Document Collection contains broadsides, manuscripts, and other material from the colonial era and early republic. The material covers a broad range of subjects, mostly pertaining to administration in colonial Philadelphia, and the American Revolution. The series listing below further specifies the subject areas within the collection. Possible research topics include: colonial-era legal, land, or government documentation, the influence of broadside announcements, the use of German in colonial American documents, and for a general investigation into the happenings of the Continental Army. The military documents are more sparse in subject area, and do not include engagement information. The dates are largely bulked from 1727-1728, and also from 1775-1787. The collection does not contain mid-century documents pertaining to topics like the French and Indian War, or specific topics on daily colonial life. The Early American Document Collection also contains a strong variety of colonial watermarks, from domestic and foreign paper. Possible research topics concerning watermarks include: sourcing of the papermaker, the inspiration behind the designs, the region of production, the trade connections between papermaker and user, and the connections between documents with the same watermarks. Further historical information on the use of watermarks in early American documents can be found in the historical notes above. Special Collections and College Archives Finding Aids are discovery tools used to describe and provide access to our holdings. Finding aids include historical and biographical information about each collection in addition to inventories of their content. More information about our collections can be found on our website http://www.gettysburg.edu/special_collections/collections/.https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/findingaidsall/1173/thumbnail.jp

"An Irish Boy he may well be but he spak braid Scots when he coortit me": Song connections between Ireland and South West Scotland

This essay considers how the song culture of South West Scotland is influenced by that of Ireland. The author’s sources include the observations of modern cultural experts Phyllis and Billy Martin, and Nick Spencer. These are set alongside quotations from nineteenth century broadside ballads, which offer historical context. The author reviews social and economic connections between the two areas, and attempts to identify musical influences from Ireland on South West Scotland, from the 1950s onwards. In addition, she discusses ethnic stereotyping as it features in the area’s song culture. The Irishman, in South West Scotland, appears in various guises: as a bold deceiver, as a drunkard and rogue, and as a seducer (often in a Scottish setting, or with a Scottish link, and sometimes associated with stereotypes applied to Scottish Highlanders); cross-cultural love affairs are a strong feature both of the broadside and oral traditions in this context. In conclusion, the writer makes summary comments about cross-cultural connexions between South West Scottish and Irish songs, identifying this as a rich area for future investigatio

A Sampling of Rare Shaker Broadsides at Hamilton College Library

The Hamilton College Library holds a large collection of imprints unrecorded in Mary Richmond’s authoritative bibliography Shaker Literature. Broadsides account for some of the more interesting examples. The following selection of five rare Shaker broadsides from the Communal Societies Collection illustrates that the Shaker (and sometimes non-Shaker) printer set his type for many different purposes, both sacred and profane. All five examples are exceptionally rare (none are located by OCLC WorldCat) and only one of these broadsides was noticed by Mary Richmond. Most of these selections are likely unique survivals. All are from the nineteenth century, and one example (the only one known to Mary Richmond) furnishes a bit of wit and an element of mystery

EMPATHY OR ENTERTAINMENT? THE FORM AND FUNCTION OF VIOLENT CRIME NARRATIVES IN EARLY-NINETEENTH-CENTURY BROADSIDES.

This article will explore the meaning and morality of popular accounts of violent crime in early-nineteenth-century broadsides. Broadsides were a form of street literature and, for almost 300 years until the latter half of the nineteenth century, they were a forerunner to our modern tabloid newspapers. These flimsy sheets were published on a wide range of topics, but by far the most prevalent were those covering violent crime, especially murder. The publication of these broadsides reached a peak in the first half of the nineteenth century and their popular appeal was greatest among the labouring poor. This has led several critics, both then and now, to dismiss this cheap literature as merely gruesome and sensationalistic entertainment, appealing to the evidently debased and ignorant tastes of the uneducated masses. However, this article will argue that not only were these broadsides often far less gory than others have claimed, but also that these representations of murder held more social significance than vicarious gratification for their readers. For what is often overlooked is the fact that these dramatic depictions of violent crime reveal compassion rather than cruelty, and this article therefore will suggest that early-nineteenth-century broadsides, in emphasising murder, actually reflected tastes that were more moral than morbid

The Libraries of the Privately Supported Historical Societies

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