The Abolitionists, by Kellie Carter Jackson
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by
Kellie Carter Jackson (Goodreads Author),
These eight lectures provide a quick review of the abolitionist movement. The lecturer, Kellie Carter Jackson, is author of the book, Force and Freedom, in which she posits that African Americans played a bigger role in the anti-slavery movement than generally credited by historians. This emphasis comes across in these lectures as well.
The following are my review comments for each lecture.
Lecture 1 - Overview of the Abolitionist Movement
There was great diversity among those who made up the abolitionist movement. Popular opinion, particularly in the early years, considered them to be crazy. They were advocating a change that was a threat to the business community and the economy. Slavery was very lucrative and was the foundation of the plantation system in the South. But much of the wealth in the North was also based on processing products like cotton which were produced in the South. The American Anti-Slavery Society (AASS) was formed in 1833 in an effort to develop an organized and united movement out of what before then were scattered individual voices.
Lecture 2 - The Press
Freedom’s Journal was a significant anti-slavery newspaper. Its most famous agent was David Walker. William Loyd Garrison published The Liberator. Another abolitionist publisher was Elijah Lovejoy who was murdered by an angry mob in 1837 in Illinois. Garrison was also exposed to violence, once being dragged through the streets of Boston by a mob.
Lecture 3 - The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850
The purpose of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 was to protect the interests of owners of slaves in the South. It required people in the North to assist in the involuntary return of escaped slaves to their owners in the South. It was so unpopular in the North that it actually brought new life to the abolitionist movement. Many formerly enslaved people threatened by this law had lived many years as free people in the North.
I couldn’t help but notice a similarity with what’s happening currently with resistance to actions of ICE. The resistance to the Fugitive Slave Law was an example of a Federal law whose enforcement was unpopular at the local community level. As is the case today, people ended up being hurt and killed on both sides of the issue.
Lecture 4 - The Underground Railroad
This metaphorical railroad conveyed escaped slaves, (1) to states that outlawed slavery prior to the Fugitive Slave Act, and (2) to Canada after its enactment. The following are names of historical individuals that played significant roles in the Underground Railroad. (All are African American.)
Leonard Grimes
William Still
Harriet Tubman
Lewis Hayden
Harriet Hayden
Lecture 5 - Slave Narratives
There are hundreds of slave narratives in which people who were once slaves tell the story of their experiences. Two narratives discussed at length in this lecture are the following:
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass , by Frederick Douglass
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl , by Harriet Jacobs
It may have been in this lecture that brief mention is made of Ellen and William Craft. I comment about them here because I have reviewed the book they wrote, Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom .
Lecture 6 - The Politics of Abolition
Abolition began as moral movement and evolved into political one as feelings and positions intensified. The story of Charles Sumner who was nearly beaten to death in the House of Representatives chamber is covered by the lecture. Various political parities developed. The Republican Party which formed to take the anti-slavery position was not considered sufficiently anti-slavery for many abolitionists.
Lecture 7 - John Brown's Raid
John Brown’s attempt at violently staging a slave revolt was a failure, but some historians credit it with being the first step toward beginning the Civil War.
Lecture 8 - War is Over, Mission Accomplished
This lecture reviewed the legacy of the abolitionist movement and shows that it continues to shape the current understanding of protests and social justice movement.
The following are my review comments for each lecture.
Lecture 1 - Overview of the Abolitionist Movement
There was great diversity among those who made up the abolitionist movement. Popular opinion, particularly in the early years, considered them to be crazy. They were advocating a change that was a threat to the business community and the economy. Slavery was very lucrative and was the foundation of the plantation system in the South. But much of the wealth in the North was also based on processing products like cotton which were produced in the South. The American Anti-Slavery Society (AASS) was formed in 1833 in an effort to develop an organized and united movement out of what before then were scattered individual voices.
Lecture 2 - The Press
Freedom’s Journal was a significant anti-slavery newspaper. Its most famous agent was David Walker. William Loyd Garrison published The Liberator. Another abolitionist publisher was Elijah Lovejoy who was murdered by an angry mob in 1837 in Illinois. Garrison was also exposed to violence, once being dragged through the streets of Boston by a mob.
Lecture 3 - The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850
The purpose of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 was to protect the interests of owners of slaves in the South. It required people in the North to assist in the involuntary return of escaped slaves to their owners in the South. It was so unpopular in the North that it actually brought new life to the abolitionist movement. Many formerly enslaved people threatened by this law had lived many years as free people in the North.
I couldn’t help but notice a similarity with what’s happening currently with resistance to actions of ICE. The resistance to the Fugitive Slave Law was an example of a Federal law whose enforcement was unpopular at the local community level. As is the case today, people ended up being hurt and killed on both sides of the issue.
Lecture 4 - The Underground Railroad
This metaphorical railroad conveyed escaped slaves, (1) to states that outlawed slavery prior to the Fugitive Slave Act, and (2) to Canada after its enactment. The following are names of historical individuals that played significant roles in the Underground Railroad. (All are African American.)
Leonard Grimes
William Still
Harriet Tubman
Lewis Hayden
Harriet Hayden
Lecture 5 - Slave Narratives
There are hundreds of slave narratives in which people who were once slaves tell the story of their experiences. Two narratives discussed at length in this lecture are the following:
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass , by Frederick Douglass
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl , by Harriet Jacobs
It may have been in this lecture that brief mention is made of Ellen and William Craft. I comment about them here because I have reviewed the book they wrote, Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom .
Lecture 6 - The Politics of Abolition
Abolition began as moral movement and evolved into political one as feelings and positions intensified. The story of Charles Sumner who was nearly beaten to death in the House of Representatives chamber is covered by the lecture. Various political parities developed. The Republican Party which formed to take the anti-slavery position was not considered sufficiently anti-slavery for many abolitionists.
Lecture 7 - John Brown's Raid
John Brown’s attempt at violently staging a slave revolt was a failure, but some historians credit it with being the first step toward beginning the Civil War.
Lecture 8 - War is Over, Mission Accomplished
This lecture reviewed the legacy of the abolitionist movement and shows that it continues to shape the current understanding of protests and social justice movement.
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- X
- Other Apps
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