1. The American Civil War (1861-1865)
Who was involved?
“American negroes are the only people in the history of the world, so far as I know, that ever became free without any effort of their own…”
– U.S. Historian 1928
We will prove otherwise!

2. The American Civil War
So the question is did African Americans play a major role in the war/the gaining of their freedom?

3. African Americans & The Civil War
Early resistance
Throughout the years many slaves acted as if they were slow or stupid – why?
They would fake they were sick, injure the livestock, or break tools (making it look accidental)
Nat Turner’s Revolt (1831)
Virginia preacher (slave)
Said had vision from God to revolt
Ultimately unsuccessful
Around 60 whites & 100 African Americans died (not all died during the revolt, but rather in angry aftermath from white mobs)
Turner & 13 others were executed

4. African Americans & The Civil War
Underground Railroad
A major method of resisting slavery & gaining freedom was done by running away
Slaves headed north into free states or into Canada
Had to avoid bounty hunters
Major figure = Harriet Tubman
Escaped slave herself
Led over 300 slaves to safety

5. Abolitionists & Newspapers
Many African Americans worked for & were editors of abolitionist newspapers
David Walker – Free African American
Apart of 1st African American newspaper, Freedom’s Journal
Published Walker’s Appeal
This called for slaves to act out against their slave owners
$1,000 reward for Walker dead & $10,000 alive
Let’s not forget Frederick Douglass too…
Abolitionist/author/editor/escaped slave

6. Songs & Folk Tales

7. Take It To Court Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857)
Was a slave in the south & moved into northern states of Illinois & Wisconsin w/ his master
These were slave states & so he sued for his freedom (since he had lived there for over 2 yrs)
Went all the way to the Supreme Court
Decision: "had no rights which the white man was bound to respect; and that the negro might justly and lawfully be reduced to slavery for his benefit. He was bought and sold and treated as an ordinary article of merchandise and traffic, whenever profit could be made by it." -- Chief Justice Taney

8. Take It To The Battlefields
Southern Slaves ran away to the north
There was also a significant population of free African Americans already living in the north
When the Civil War broke out, who do you think they fought for? The South or the North?
Over 180,000 fought for the Union Army (still more fought in the Navy, around 19,000)
By the way Lincoln acknowledged African Americans by stating that the war could not have been won w/o their military contributions…