This collection of 8 diaries shows the daily life of 19th century farmer and Spiritualist, John R. Wright, in the 1850s and 60s.

The American Spiritualist movement was at its height during the late 19th and early 20th centuries and believed that a person's spirit or spiritual awareness persists after they die. They also believed those spirits to be further evolved than humans, so frequently attempted to contact the dead. These "spirit guides" offered Spiritualists moral clarity and insight into the machinations of God. Many practitioners were also proponents of contemporary social and political causes including the abolition of slavery and women's right to vote.

0.42 Linear Feet (1 document box)

Property rights to the collection and physical objects belong to the Regents of the University of California acting through the Department of Special Research Collections at the UCSB Library. All applicable literary rights, including copyright to the collection and physical objects, are protected under Chapter 17 of the U.S. Copyright Code and are retained by the creator and the copyright owner, heir(s), or assigns.

The collection is open for research.