Slavery, Abolitionists & Black Nationalism
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Slavery was called the "peculiar institution," and it was stoutly defended by those who benefited from it, the white plantation owners in the South, just as is was vehemently opposed by abolitionists in both North and South who saw it as an evil. Slavery was a business for some, an economic necessity for others, and for those enslaved, a way of life from which they could only rarely escape. The image of the abolitionist has been of white Northerners who formed societies and agitated for change, serving a swell as part of the underground railroad to free slaves. However, there were also black abolitionists who played a prominent and important role, and African American leaders among the freed slave population served a particular role in that they had been victims of slavery and were now able to express themselves as they had been denied while slaves. Stuckey finds that many "free" and slave blacks became dedicated to the idea of liberation with the American Revolution and the Haitian Revolt, leading many to desire unity in their ranks and control over their own destinies as well as independence from an oppressive and racist society. This coincided with the development of the United States after the Revolution: "It was obvious to black leaders that their people were not meaningfully included in the new nation, particularly since the great majority of them were still slaves." There is evidence that a sense of black nationalism infused th
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his people. Young did not create as much alarm as Walker, although he advocated measures fully as drastic to end slavery."
Black leaders were active in developing anti-slavery groups such as the American Anti-Slavery Society or the American and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society. Local and regional antislavery organizations did much of the work in fighting slavery. Frederick Douglass, a former slave who wrote extensively about slavery and its consequences, was elected president of the New England Anti-Slavery Society in 1847. Blacks also served as agents and speakers for various abolitionist societies. black abolitionists also wrote about emancipation, including in several black-owned newspapers, such as freedom's Journal or the Weekly Advocate.
Another source of opposition to slavery was found in the church, and the black Christian churches did what they could to promote emancipation and the abolitionist cause. Religion developed so it formed the center of the world the slaves made for themselves. Parish cites Eugene Genovese to the effect that Christianity was a double-edged sword which could sanction either accommodation or justify resistance to slavery:
In the everyday routine of plantation life, it brought spiritual com
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Frederick Douglass, Eugene Genovese, United Revolution, North South, Nat Turner, Civil War, Church AME, Ethiopian Manifesto, Weekly Advocate, Citizens World, black nationalism, nineteenth century, frederick douglass, anti-slavery society, century black nationalism, franklin moss, black baptist, abolitionist cause, ethiopian manifesto, american colonization, american colonization society, freed slaves,
Approximate Word count = 1623
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)
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