Segregated Rural Free Delivery saddlebag

Saddlebag, in use from undetermined time until 1910, segregated the mail collected from African Americans and white Americans in Fluvanna County, Virginia. The drape of leather connecting the two bags is hourglass shaped, composed of two lengths of stitched leather with tooled design on top, center. The identical bags are three-tone leather (natural and black with red trim). Each has a handle sewn at the top and a three-part strap and buckle. The flap and interior of each bag is lined in cotton.

black; red (outer leather flap of each bag dyed black; edge of flap trimmed in red dyed leather)

Museum ID: 1990.0149.1