Black abolitionistsby Dr. James Jennings, Hendrix College

HENRY HIGHLAND GARNET

Born a slave in 1815 (Maryland) Family escaped in 1824 Attended African Free School, in

1826, (NY) with Alexander Crummell, Samuel Ringgold Ward, James McCune Smith (first Black to earn a medical degree), Charles Reason (first black college professor)

Made two voyages to Cuba as a cabin boy in 1828

Injured his knee for life in 1830 Fired a shot at an angry mob during

the Noyes Academy incident

HENRY HIGHLAND GARNET

Split with Garrison in 1849 and co-founded American and Foreign Anti-slavery Society

1843 – National Negro Convention (Albany,NY) – “An Address to the Slaves of the United States of America” – rather “die freeman than live to be slaves”

Compares his speech to Walker’s Appeal in 1848

Later supports black emigration – Starts the African Civilization Society in 1858 (strong, independent Africa through black emigration)

1865 – first AA to deliver a sermon in Congress

ALEXANDER CRUMMELL Born in NYC in 1819 Father (Boston Crummell) told

master he would serve him no longer, and walked away

Gave Alexander the best of education – hired private tutors

Taught to be proud of “pure African heritage”

Attended Noyes with Garnet Self-determination – AA’s must

take primary responsibility for their survival and advancement in American society

ALEXANDER CRUMMELL Believed free blacks needed access

to higher education (black-controlled) aimed at AA advancement

One of several (Douglass, Garnet, Crafts, Ward, Remond) who lectured and studied in Europe

Graduates from Cambridge in 1853 and goes to Liberia - 8,000 blacks in Liberia (Africa). Racism in Liberia is intolerable. Returns to U.S. in 1861.

Starts American Negro Academy in 1872 (best educated and prominent AA’s) – sets the stage for DuBois’ “talented tenth”

FRANCES ELLEN WATKINS HARPER

Born in 1825, and parents died in 1828. Lived in Baltimore

Started to write poetry in her teens

1839 – poems published in abolitionist journals

Lived at an underground railroad station – had a profound effect on her writings and activism

1850’s – published “Poems of Miscellaneous Subjects” – sold over 10,000 copies over 5 years

FRANCES ELLEN WATKINS HARPER

Lectured as an abolitionist (northern U.S. and Canada) and later became involved with women’s rightsIn 1866, Harper gave a moving speech before the National Women's Rights Convention, demanding equal rights for all, including black women.

FRANCES ELLEN WATKINS HARPER

Labored for the free produce movement

Contributed a significant portion of her earnings to William Still to assist his efforts with fugitive slaves

Openly sympathized with John Brown

Traveled across the South during Reconstruction lecturing on black suffrage, temperance, education, and economic self-reliance

Helped form the National Association of Colored Women -1896

SAMUEL RINGGOLD WARD Born a slave in 1817

(Maryland), he escaped with his parents in 1820. Grew up in New York

Spoke against slavery in every northern state (1840s) and referred to as the “Black Daniel Webster” because of his eloquence

Criticized Webster later concerning his acquiescence on the Fugitive Slave Act

Aided fugitive slaves (agent of the American Anti-Slavery Society)

SAMUEL RINGGOLD WARD Serves as pastor of an all-white

congregation from 1841-1843 (NY)

Flees to Canada after the Fugitive Slave Act and works with the Anti-Slavery Society of Canada

Tours England for two years giving speeches, and writes life story – Autobiography of a Fugitive Negro

SAMUEL RINGGOLD WARD Considers slavery a “national

sin” and encouraged “people to do all in their power at the ballot box and elsewhere for the removal of this sin, or to expect the severe judgements for its continuance.”

“Be a man ever free he is liable to instant seizure and enslavement.”

JAMES FORTEN 1766 – 1842 Born free Joined navy at 14,

Revolutionary War – invented device to handle ship sails

Started business of making sails

Extremely wealthy - $100,000 Helped raise funds for

Garrison’s Liberator Helped form the AASS, and

supported the UGRR

AMERICAN ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY - 1833

AMERICAN ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY - 1833

Organized meetings, petitions, distributed propaganda, and employed lecturers

1840 – 250,000 members, published more than 20 journals, 2,000 local chapters

Controversy on Lydia Maria Childs’ appointment to the executive committee

Lewis Tappan: “To put a woman on the committee with men is contrary to the usages of civilized society”

AMERICAN and foreign ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY - 1840

Tappan, Samuel Cornish (picture), et al formed the American and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society in 1840 – refused to support women’s rights

MARY ANN SHADD CARY Father was a key

figure in the UGRR and a subscription agent for William Lloyd Garrison’s Liberator

Against those who took advantage of freed slaves – taught freed slaves to be self-reliant

MARY ANN SHADD CARY Started integrated

school in Canada (along with Henry Bibb and his wife)

Criticized black southern ministry and other blacks who did not teach intellectual growth and self-reliance to other blacks

MARY ANN SHADD CARY Editor, publisher,

and investigative writer of her newspaper

Recruiting officer for the Union Army

Attends Howard Law School – becomes the first black female lawyer (1870)

CHARLES REMOND Address to a

Legislative Committee in the Massachusetts House of Representatives, 1842

Member of American Anti-Slavery Society

WILLIAM WHIPPER Moral Reform Nonviolence Integrated effort

SUMMARY The governmental structure and societal norms of the North as well

as the South made the abolishment of slavery almost impossible.

(ALL OF THE BULLETS HIGHLIGHTED RELATE TO THE ANNUALNATIONAL NEGRO CONVENTIONS) The Black abolitionist movement was a community-based initiative.

The Black abolitionist movement involved all segments of the black community – religious leaders, businessmen, women, scholars, writers, teachers, etc.

It relied on a well-developed network that focused on Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia. Later, Canada.

SUMMARY Black newspapers played a very important role in providing a

means of communication with the Black populace.

Black abolitionism in America evolves into an international affair with international havens – Canada, England, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Haiti

Advances to the level of Pan-Africanism

Intellectualism is very important.

Would not give up their fight

SUMMARY The Black Abolitionist Movement was divided by internal matters:

Integrated vs. segregated schools Integrated vs. racially exclusive organizations Nonviolence vs. violence Emigration? Tactical shifts

The opposition to Black abolitionism (and abolition in general) teaches us that RACISM had a stronghold on all of America – including the “enlightened” North.

The 208,000 black Union soldiers should be remembered as “abolitionists.”

SUMMARY(David Zimmerman – “William Whipper in the Black Abolitionist

Tradition”)

“The tactical shifts that characterized William Whipper’s thoughts are not simply personal inconsistencies but are symbolic of the evolving strategies which were a necessary result of the changing political and judicial landscape in the United States. The black population in Columbia and across the nation evaluated local and national events as they affected their lives. Strategies of resistance were formulated over time in order to remain relevant to the varying conditions of African Americans. While bearing the mark of his own class standing,

SUMMARY(David Zimmerman – “William Whipper in the Black Abolitionist

Tradition”)

William Whipper’s dedication to the abolitionist cause reflects the complex ties that existed between the wealthiest of free northern blacks and enslaved southern compatriots.”

THE END