The Abolitionists 2

African American Abolitionists African Americans played a major role in the abolitionists movement. The abolition of slavery was an especially important goal to the free African Americans in the North.

African American Abolitionists African Americans took an active roll in directing the American Antislavery Society and subscribed to Garrison’s The Liberator.

African American Abolitionists In 1827 Samuel Cornish & John Russworm started the first African American Newspaper, Freedom’s Journal promoting the abolition movement.

African American Abolitionists David Walker, born a freeman in NC, published an impassioned argument against slavery challenging African American to rebel and overthrow slavery by force.

African American Abolitionists In 1830 free African American leaders held their first convention in Philadelphia to create “ways and means for bettering their condition.” They discussed starting an African American College and immigrating to Canada.

Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass was the most widely known abolitionist, was born into slavery and would eventually teach himself to read & write.

Frederick Douglass After escaping slavery Douglass joined the Massachusetts Antislavery Society and traveled widely to address abolitionist meetings.

Frederick Douglass For 16 years Douglass was editor for the antislavery newspaper, the North Star. He also traveled overseas speaking to audiences in London & the West Indies on the antislavery issues.

The Underground Railroad Some abolitionists risked prison and death helping African Americans escape slavery. The network of escape routes were known as the Underground Railroad.

The Underground Railroad Escaped slaves would travel through the night going North through rivers & mountains . During the day the runaways rested ate in attics, barns or church basements.

The Underground Railroad The “Conductors” of the Underground Railroad were whites and African Americans who helped guide the runaways to the North. Later the runaways would travel by wagon with secret compartments.

The Underground Railroad Once in the North, though, runaways still feared capture. After Harriet Tubman’s escape, she became the most famous “conductor” on the Underground Railroad. She was so good, slaveholders offered large rewards for her capture.

The Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was only helpful to a small percent of those enslaved.

Clashes over Abolition The antislavery movement led to an intense reaction against antislavery. In the North abolitionists were never more than a small fraction of the population.

Clashes over Abolition Southerners who did not have slaves, and slaveholders opposed abolitionism because they thought it was a threat to the Southern way of life.

Clashes over Abolition Northerners saw the abolition movement as a threat to the nation’s social order. Northerners also thought that freed slaves would come North & take jobs, resulting in lower wages

Clashes over Abolition Opposition in the North to abolitionists sometimes erupted into violence against abolitionists themselves.

Clashes over Abolition Southerners argued that they treated slaves better than The North treated free black workers in the North. Conflict between proslavery & antislavery advocates continued to escalate.