Documents directly mentioning African Americans represent only about 5% to 10% of the approximately two thousand pages found in the attic.

But the rest of that larger collection — which will also be archived at Washington College — also includes many rare and important items, such as this 1795 broadside. It advertises stud service by a thoroughbred stallion owned by Thomas Ringgold of Chestertown (probably the grandson of the slave trader). The Eastern Shore of Maryland was well-known in the 18th and 19th centuries for its culture of horse racing and horse breeding.

The stallion advertised here was named “Cincinatus” (sic) — an appropriate name for a stud who lived during George Washington’s presidency. Cincinnatus was a well-known nickname for Washington, referring to an ancient Roman general who set aside military power to return to his home as a simple farmer.

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