Sampler, "The Hospitable Negro Woman," by Martha Tratt

Date1833

Artist/Maker Martha Tratt

OriginAmerica, South Carolina, Charleston (possibly)

MediumSilk needlework on a linen ground of 44 x 42 threads per inch (fabric identification by eye), wood, glass

DimensionsFramed: OW: 15" x OH: 14 1/2"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1992-100,A&B

DescriptionThis is an almost-square sampler worked in red-brown cross stitches on a natural color linen canvas. The top three inches of the sampler features two rows of doubled alphabets, (AABBCC, etc.) in upper case, including J and U. Below that are numbers 1-27, excluding 13. Below this is a row of lower case alphabets "a-z" and then "a-i." The rows of alphabets are separated by zig-zag motifs. The sampler also has a zig-zag border on all four sides. The inscription in the middle of the sampler reads, "The hospitable Negro Woman/THE loud wind roared, the rain fell fast,/The White man yielded to the blast,/He sat him down beneath the tree,/For weary, sad, and faint was he,/Alas no wife or mothers care/For him the milk or corn prepare." Below this is a short zig-zag line, followed by, "--------What so sweet/so beautiful on earth/as kindred love." Following this is another zig-zag line, followed by the signature, "Martha Tratt 1933." Underneath this is another zig-zag line.

The sampler is framed. On the brown paper backing of the sampler in ink handwriting is the inscription: "Bought in Charlestown in 1837 done by a negro--have only 2 samplers done by colored people."

Stitches: cross
Label TextMartha Tratt expressed her anti-slavery sentiments in her needleworked sampler that she created in 1833. The verse titled "The hospitable Negro Woman" derives from a story about Mungo Park, who traveled throughout Africa from 1795 to 1797. The Duchess of Devonshire expanded upon the songs mentioned in this story, writing two verses and two choruses. The inscription on the sampler is from the first verse the Duchess of Devonshire wrote.
Inscribed"The hospitable Negro Woman/THE loud wind roared, the rain fell fast,/The White man yielded to the blast,/He sat him down beneath the tree,/For weary, sad, and faint was he,/Alas no wife or mothers care/For him the milk or corn prepare."

"--------What so sweet/so beautiful on earth/as kindred love."
MarkingsOn back paper: "Bought in Charlestown in 1837 done by a negro--have only 2 samplers done by colored people."
ProvenanceThs sampler was purchased from a dealer in Spartanburg, South Carolina. On the brown paper backing of the sampler in ink handwriting is the inscription: "Bought in Charlestown in 1837 done by a negro--have only 2 samplers done by colored people." It's more likely, however, that the sampler was worked by a white girl whose family held anti-slavery sentiments. Note that the text format of the sampler is a charactetistic often seen in Charleston, SC samplers (see: 2014-43, and 2017-306, and 2017-307 in CWF coll.).
No information about the Martha Tratt who stitched this sampler has been found thus far.