Partly printed souvenir badge filled in manuscript identified to Henry Devereaux, an African American attendee of the World's Fair. N.p., 1895. 1 3/4 x 3 7/8 inches. With a printed cartoon, titled Uncle Joe Goes Fishing, by illustrator E.W. Kemble (1861–1933), best known for illustrating Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and his caricatures of African Americans, N.p., n.d.

Still reeling after the crushing defeat in the Civil War, the city of Atlanta elected to organize the Cotton States and International Exposition in 1895, with the aim of fostering trade, interest, and civic pride among attendees. It was an opportunity to showcase the city's best products and facilities to national and international audiences. The fair featured exhibits form six states, including various innovations in agriculture and technology. President Grover Cleveland presided over the opening of the exposition remotely by flipping an electric switch from his home in Massachusetts on September 18, 1895. However, the event is perhaps best remembered for the "Atlanta Compromise" speech delivered by African American leader and educator Booker T. Washington (1856–1915), promoting racial cooperation.

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