This blue cotton umbrella that belonged to Lucretia Mott
was made of “free” cotton—cotton made without
the use of slave labor. According to family tradition,
Lucretia purchased, whenever possible, free cotton at
the “Taylor Free Store, Fifth Street, in Philadelphia”—possibly
the store belonging to George Taylor on Fifth Street.
The umbrella was donated to the museum by Lucretia Mott’s
great granddaughter.
The cotton has a woven border that resembles borders
woven into handkerchiefs. The stick is made of wood,
carved to resemble bamboo and then painted black. The
handle ends with a curved piece of horn. The staves
(inside portion of an umbrella) are metal, painted black.
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