Russell A. Alger of Michigan, from the Presidential Possibilities series (N124) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1888

This small chromolithograph of Russell A. Alger of Michigan was made by W. Duke, Sons & Co. as a promotional item for their Honest Long Cut Tobacco. These cards were collected and traded, reflecting the popular obsession with presidential hopefuls. The late 19th century was a period of rapid industrialization and westward expansion, but also of deep racial and class divisions. Alger, a Civil War general and wealthy businessman, embodies the complexities of this era. He represents the ideal of the self-made man, yet his career was intertwined with the exploitation of natural resources and labor. It's fascinating to consider how Alger's image, mass-produced and distributed with tobacco products, contributed to the construction of political identity and the marketing of power. This seemingly innocuous card offers a glimpse into the cultural and economic forces shaping American society at the turn of the century.