"Ourselves" and "Others"

In the post-Civil War era, many Americans prospered as the inheritors of a promising and expanding land of opportunity. These opportunities, however, were unequally distributed. Trade card images frequently reflected America’s inequalities, prejudices, and injustices. Slavery had ended, but African-Americans continued to face oppression and discrimination. Native peoples were the targets of sanctioned violence and dislocation. Waves of newly arrived immigrant communities— Germans, Irish, Chinese, Italians, and others—were viewed by generations of earlier immigrants as foreign intruders. Because trade cards often pandered to popular taste, they sometimes amplified broadly held prejudices. Caricature is a common tool in trade card art, used to deride those who are not perceived as white, American, or middle-class. These stereotypes were frequently presented as humor, disguising the cruelty of the portrayals as “harmless” fun.

"Ourselves"

"Use Dunham's concentrated cocoanut" trade card

This card advertising Dunham’s Cocoanut draws a sharp contrast between the vine-draped tropics—peopled by shirtless natives—and a comfortable Western existence full of fine clothes and elegant homes. How could anyone think of comparing the two worlds?

"It's so good for making beef tea for the children" trade card

“American” families are surely secure and well-regulated, inhabiting comfortable middle-class homes and employing attractive, well-dressed cooks. This is a world far removed from the noise and disorder of newcomers, who might disrupt an orderly existence.

"The AMC perfect cereals for sale by your grocer" trade card

In “our” world, even going to market is a civilized act. Clothing is elegant and always in the latest style, children are turned out impeccably, and the store clerk is attentive and respectful. In this rarified environment the quality of the products offered could never be in question.

Syracuse Chilled Plow Co. trade card, depicting a hunter with a dog

This nattily dressed hunter is remote from the world of plows and other agricultural equipment, but his dandyish gear and a pair of fine pointers suggest an ideal to which one might aspire.

Union Pacific Tea Company trade card, depicting a children's tea party

Beautifully dressed and perfectly behaved children hold an improbably decorous tea party. This vision of middle-class gentility mirrored by the next generation helps assure parents that no barbarians could possibly storm their gates.

"Others"

The Universal Clothes Wringer trade card

African-Americans are pictured on trade cards more often than any other minority group, frequently as domestic workers. This card for the Universal Clothes Wringer is typical—a cheerful, compliant woman whose speech is rendered in dialect and who refers to herself as “dis chile.”

Ayer's Cathartic Pills trade card, depicting older black man with two children

Less frequently seen are positive images, such as this kindly and dignified country doctor, shown on an 1883 card dispensing Ayer’s Pills—a purgative that is “sugar coated and pleasant to take.”

"A point in dispute" trade card, depicting children in argument

Although far less insulting than many images of the period, this A&P trade card with a picture of an unruly baseball argument suggests both ignorance and chaos, made worse by treating it as comedy.

"Our new citizens" trade card, depicting a bartender

Mr. Hans Schloppenberger, one of America’s “new citizens,” is treated more gently than some of the other immigrants, but it is quite clear that he is not one of us. This card is part of a series on his evolution from greenhorn to a successful citizen who almost crosses the line.

Trade card depicting "Pat the Irishman" with scolding wife

Pat the Irishman will, it appears, always be just that. He is sturdy enough, if a bit stunted, presumably not too bright, and dominated by his shrewish wife, who appears to be a charwoman or a laundress. As with many other recent immigrants, she is associated with such products as starch, used on clothing before ironing.

Trade card depicting a caricature of a Chinese laundryman contrasted with an idealized white woman

Few Chinese were regarded with respect in nineteenth century America. They are often portrayed as surly laundrymen, with exaggerated accents and limited English. A laundry-starch maker issued this card.

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Trade Cards: An Illustrated History