Abolitionism

Slavery today is considered to be an abhorrent, outrageous institution, yet it used to be a widespread and accepted practice in the South. People blindly believed in the “mythology of slavery”, which claimed that slavery was justifiable and necessary to both white and African-American people. In his autobiography Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Frederick Douglass debunks this attitude and reveals the true, horrendous nature of slavery. To combat the misguided notions of slavery,…

Throughout history there were many heinous situations involving slavery that changed many perspectives on human rights. As the horrors of slavery were exhibited to citizens, many were petrified and some courageous, outspoken people fought to eliminate it. Frederick Douglass, a renowned freed slave became a prevalent abolitionist leader during the 19th century. In his lifetime, he became an influential persuasive public speaker and writer by publishing pieces that conveyed a distinct hatred and…

Uncle Tom’s Cabin is an anti-slavery novel that brought about a great social change. According to Henderson 2009, it had such an influential impact on the Civil War, in which slavery was abolished. Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Christian attitude reflected most of her attitude towards slavery. She believed slavery was very unchristian like and harsh. Stowe’s novel concentrated on many hardships slaves had to endure. She wrote the book to be a power against slavery. Uncle Tom’s Cabin is one of the…

The United States was founded on key aspects to a create a strong, centralized democratic goverment: freedom and equality. In fact, one of the nations famous quotes, "Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness" complements the nations democracy as a whole. While America was just a newly developed country, it was evident to citizens that changes were necessary. Between the years of 1825-1850, a reformational period embodied America. Whether or not these reforms sought to expand democratic ideals was…

The horrifying stories of slavery have long been documented in school text books as well as in films. However, the WPA project took story telling to new heights through the perspectives of those who survived slavery and lived to tell the story in The Slave Narratives. According to Jeff Strickland, “the WPA slave interviews offer an innovative approach to engage students with the history of slavery in the United States” (Strickland, 41). The Slave Narratives documents the different experiences…

For decades preceding and following the Civil War, abolitionists fought to raise awareness of the racial discrimination of African Americans and ultimately bring an end to slavery. Abolitionists used a wide variety of tactics to connect with their audience and influence the public’s opinion. Primary literary sources such as, “The Anti-Slavery Harp,” “To My Former Master,” “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl,” and “The American Anti-Slavery Almanac,” use abuse to summon emotion in their…

The Blessings of Literacy Throughout the book Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass, Douglass is very adamant in the belief that literacy can not only change the life of a slave, but he believes that literacy gives the enslaved a chance of freedom, a beginning to a world of endless thoughts and imagination, and the power to see the truth about the cruel and harsh realities of slavery. Douglass gives the readers of his narrative an insight of these beliefs through the…

“You have seen how a man became a slave; you shall see how a slave becomes a man” (Douglass). Slave narratives are non-fiction, written accounts of a slave’s personal experiences, often with the goal of winning Northern sympathy in an effort to end slavery. In a way, many authors of these documents can be considered sycophants, as authors commonly express their vitriol in an effort to gain support. As historical artifacts, these slave narratives elucidate the progression of white supremacy in…

The first step taken towards abolition was simply the idea that enslavement anywhere in the world was a wrong thing that needed to be made right, and slave narrative was an important means of fighting this war. When Frederick Douglass and Elizabeth Keckley reclaimed their past and described their reunions with their enslavers, they showed their intent on renewing the slave narrative as an element still relevant to the postbellum era. Some people may wonder if this is a deviation from reality,…

Throughout the history of our United States, many factors have contributed to the ultimate growth and development of the magnitude of our present-day economy. None, however, could be compared to the size of the impact attributed to the institution of slavery in the Antebellum South during the 1800’s. And although slavery is considered today to be “the most inhumane institution,” there is no denying the fact that its existence substantially benefitted the prosperity of the American economy during…