Free Negroes in Hayti (from Confederate War Etchings) 1861 - 1863

"Free Negroes in Hayti," part of Adalbert John Volck's Confederate War Etchings, presents a scene rendered with ink on paper. Volck, a Confederate sympathizer, created this series to critique the Union and promote a pro-slavery narrative. This etching depicts a group of Black individuals in Haiti, dancing and playing music. It reflects the artist’s distorted view of Black life in a free nation, using stereotypical imagery to portray the formerly enslaved as carefree and ungoverned. The scene is laden with the racial prejudices of the time, designed to reinforce the Confederate ideology that Black people were incapable of self-governance. Volck’s work serves as a stark reminder of how art can be used to perpetuate harmful stereotypes and support oppressive systems. It stands as a visual artifact of a painful history, inviting us to reflect on the power dynamics embedded in representation. It reveals the emotional and ideological underpinnings of the Confederacy, and challenges us to confront the legacies of slavery and racism that continue to shape our world.