1841 Abolitionist Needlework Sampler — A Rare Survivor of Early African American History

Some artifacts do more than record history—they embody it. This 1841 abolitionist needlework sampler, stitched by a young girl named Matty Mitchell, represents one of the rarest forms of early American anti-slavery artwork. Combining devotional verse, symbolic imagery, and painstaking handwork, these samplers served as quiet but powerful acts of resistance during one of the most turbulent moral eras in American history.

This piece is one of very few known surviving abolitionist samplers depicting a freed Black figure in prayer, complete with broken shackles and bordered with floral and vine motifs. Items of this type were created to teach literacy and needlework, but also to cultivate anti-slavery sentiment within households, schools, and religious communities active in abolitionist advocacy.

Specifications and Details

• Artist/Needleworker: Matty Mitchell

• Date: 1841

• Type: Abolitionist textile sampler

• Medium: Hand-embroidered needlework on woven linen

• Imagery: Freed Black figure with broken chains, floral borders, decorative vines

• Verse: “The Negro’s Prayer,” a period abolitionist text reflecting contemporary theological arguments for emancipation

• Dimensions: Approx. 17 1/8 x 19 5/8 inches including frame (16 x 18 1/2 inches textile)

• Origin: Likely Northeastern United States (New York region)

• Provenance: From the contents of Gallery/Tanner, Los Angeles, a historically significant African American art institution founded by Samella Lewis

Condition & Authenticity

This sampler is in remarkably strong condition for a textile approaching two centuries old. The imagery remains vivid, the stitching tightly preserved, and the overall composition structurally intact. Light toning and minor age-related wear are consistent with authentic mid-19th-century needlework.

The iconography—broken chains, kneeling freed figure, and abolitionist verse—is consistent with known examples tied to early free Black communities, Quaker-aligned educational institutions, and pre-Civil War abolitionist sewing circles. These samplers were often created within environments where women, including young girls, contributed to anti-slavery activism through domestic arts.

Pieces of this type rarely surface, and surviving examples are almost exclusively held by major museums, historical societies, and academic collections.

Estimated Appraised Value

Due to its extraordinary rarity, historical importance, and museum-level significance, comparable institutional and private sales place this sampler in the range of:

Estimated Appraised Value: $35,000 – $55,000

Factors supporting this valuation include:

• Extreme scarcity (fewer than five comparable examples publicly known)

• Direct ties to early abolitionist teaching traditions

• Iconography centered on freed Black imagery and anti-slavery didactic messaging

• Strong provenance connected to an important African American cultural institution

• Increasing demand among museums, research collections, and scholars of African American and woman-centered abolitionist history

Legacy & Historical Importance

Abolitionist samplers represent one of the earliest forms of socially conscious American textile art. They were created during a time when needlework offered women—especially young girls—a rare platform for expressing moral conviction and supporting political causes. For many, the act of stitching was itself a form of protest, a way to challenge slavery within the domestic sphere while reinforcing literacy, religious teachings, and community identity.

This particular sampler stands out because it centers a freed Black subject, not simply as a symbolic figure, but as a person depicted with dignity and agency. The image of prayer paired with broken shackles functions as both spiritual affirmation and abolitionist messaging. Surviving examples with such explicit depiction are profoundly important to museums focused on African American history, early American women’s needlework, Quaker educational traditions, and anti-slavery visual culture.

Its cultural and historical value extends beyond decorative arts—this is a document of American conscience.

At DJR Authentication, we appraise and authenticate historic textiles, abolitionist artifacts, Americana, and early needlework. Our full reports provide comprehensive documentation suitable for insurance, estate planning, resale, and more. Visit our services page to submit your item or schedule a professional evaluation. In-person consultations are available by appointment in Charleston, SC.