General Info

Depicting the legendary kidnapping of Osceola's half-black wife, this engraving from The Anti-Slavery Almanac of 1839 stands on the other side of the political spectrum from cartoons like "A Scene on the Frontiers." Expressing blatant sympathy for Native and African Americans, the engraving mocks American principles of liberty, noting that while "monarchical" Spain sheltered fugitive blacks, "republican" America placed their children in chains.

Though the engraving contributed to -- and may have initiated -- a legend, its details nonetheless captured the essence of events leading up to the Second Seminole War. The engraving and caption are also among the earliest references to the existence of the Black Seminoles.

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