Emancipation Era dress worn by formerly enslaved woman Tempy Ruby Bryant

A single piece handsewn dress believed to have been worn by the formerly enslaved woman Tempy Ruby Bryant and handed down through her descendants. The dress is composed of a brown and taupe colored floral patterned fabric. The pattern has columns of flowers bordered by dark vertical lines with light vertical lines running through the flowers. The dress has white buttons at the waist, in a single row from waist to collar. Four buttons are missing: one at the waist and three near the collar. There is neat tucking at the waist band and sleeve cuffs.