[African-Americana] [Dance] [Hancock, John. (1736-1793)]. Original Engraving of the 1793 Equality Ball. A very interesting original print showing John Hancock shaking hands with an African-American man at the "Equality Ball" given by Hancock in Boston in 1793. While other African-American men and women dance and one plays the violin, the governor warmly greets a man named Cuffey. Meanwhile, another white man in the corner holds his nose. The engraving appeared in The Echo, with other Poems (1807), an illustrated collection of poems by a group of "wits" including one satirizing the event. The caption is excerpted from the poem, which mocks free people of color's way of speaking: "While CUFFEY near him takes his stand, / Hale-fellow met, and grasps his hand-- / With pleasure glistening in his eyes, / 'Ah! Massa Gubbernur!' he cries, / 'Me grad to see you, for de peeple say / 'you lub de Neegur better dan de play.'