Black HistoryDarktown Series Fire Brigade Currier & Ives Print 1885

1885, colored print, "The Darktown Fire Brigade - A Prize Squirt. 'Now den! Shake her up once moah fur de Mug,'" by Currier & Ives, Choice Extremely Fine.
This colorful, chromolithograph print, copyrighted by Currier & Ives in 1885, is titled: "The Darktown Fire Brigade - A Prize Squirt," with subtitle: "Now den! Shake her up once moah fur de Mug." The print, which measures about 12" x 16," depicts a company of Black fire fighters operating a hand-pump fire hose as part of a competition. In the background, a Black official holds a prize cup for the winning team, labeled "Prize Mug." The leader of the fire crew holds a megaphone and a bouquet of flowers. In the foreground is a red and white May Pole topped with a Liberty Cap. As in other Darktown Series prints by Currier & Ives, this print stereotypes African-Americans as stupid, lazy and inept. The Liberty Cap is probably shown to point out what the White community believes happens when slaves are given their freedom. Done in vivid and highly colorful red, blue, yellow, green, black and browns, this print is housed in a modern wooden frame (not examined out of frame). This original Currier & Ives Print is eye-catching and simply gorgeous for display.

Prints such as the Darktown Series helped circulate images promoting racial and ethnic stereotyping of the 19th century. Currier & Ives printed what the public wanted and capitalized on racism and xenophobia of the era. There are other series of Currier & Ives prints ridiculing the Irish, the Italians, and Roman Catholics.