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Title: Robert Banks

Speaker or author: Banks, Robert, fl.

Newspaper or publication: Weekly Advocate (1837)

Address given before the Female Dorcas Society of Buffalo regarding the positive influence of women in the abolition of slavery and aid to former slaves.

Description of file(s): PDF 11 page, 2,475 word document (text and images)

Subtitle: Saturday, February 11, 1837. Free People of Color.

Title: Weekly Advocate - February 11, 1837

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Weekly Advocate (1837)

The writer stressed the irony of a social prejudice against African Americans based on the belief that they are poor and ignorant when they are descendents of a race of enslaved people who have never been afforded the opportunities of their white fellow men and women.

Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page (portion missing)

Subtitle: Desultory Reflections. No. 1

Title: Weekly Advocate - February 18, 1837

Speaker or author: Sears, Robert

Newspaper or publication: Weekly Advocate (1837)

Nostalgic expression of aging in America during the current times. The writer reflects on lost youth and the potential for wisdom in old age. He emphasizes the responsibilites that are available in a life lived in the present. The actions taken now by each person, may affect forever the future of society. "Herein lies the secret to true happiness..."

Description of file(s): one scanned, three columned, newspaper page

Subtitle: To Our Friends.

Title: Weekly Advocate - February 18, 1837

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Weekly Advocate (1837)

The editor stresses the rise in the cost of everything except the Weekly Advocate. He implies that the newspaper's cost may rise too without an increase in subscriptions.

Description of file(s): one scanned, one columned, newspaper page

Title: Weekly Advocate - February 18, 1837

Speaker or author: W.

Newspaper or publication: Weekly Advocate (1837)

Overview of a meeting of the Phoenixonian Society including a critique of the presentations of several speakers.

Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page

Subtitle: Our Present Prospects and Success.

Title: Weekly Advocate - February 18, 1837

Speaker or author: Sears, Robert

Newspaper or publication: Weekly Advocate (1837)

The writer offered an account of the Weekly Advocate's current status in terms of subscribers and its future potential as a beneficial source of information for African Americans.

Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page

Subtitle: Worthy of Imitation.

Title: Weekly Advocate - February 18, 1837

Speaker or author: Bell, Philip A.

Newspaper or publication: Weekly Advocate (1837)

The editor responds to a letter of praise from William S. Jennings. Mr. Jennings complimented the newspaper and its work towards providing information and knowledge to African Americans. He also contributed to these efforts by finding new subscribers for the newspaper.

Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page

Subtitle: Desultory Reflections. No. 2. On Knowledge.

Title: Weekly Advocate - February 25, 1837

Speaker or author: Sears, Robert

Newspaper or publication: Weekly Advocate (1837)

The writer expresses his belief that knowledge is power, but not without an emphasis on religion. The responsibility in gaining great knowledge is a moral one. He encourages his readers to seek religious knowledge and use it wisely to inspire positive change in the world.

Description of file(s): two scanned, two columned, newspaper pages

Subtitle: The Colored Man's Perils.

Title: Weekly Advocate - February 25, 1837

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Weekly Advocate (1837)

An account of the experiences of two recently captured fugitive slaves who wait in prison in New York. A visiting minister spoke with them and recounted their stories to the press.

Description of file(s): one scanned, one columned, newspaper page

Subtitle: To Manufacturers and Venders of Intoxicating Drinks.

Title: Weekly Advocate - February 25, 1837

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Weekly Advocate (1837)

The writer expresses his belief in the evils of drinking alcohol, and warns his readers of the potential harm that drunkenness can cause.

Description of file(s): one scanned, one columned, newspaper page

Subtitle: On Infidelity.

Title: Weekly Advocate - February 4, 1837

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Weekly Advocate (1837)

The writer emphasizes the irony of church services that stress Christian morality while encouraging un-Christian behavior, including selling pamphlets at church services and offering the use of the church for social events.

Description of file(s): one scanned, three columned, newspaper page

Subtitle: Opinions of the Press.

Title: Weekly Advocate - February 4, 1837

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Weekly Advocate (1837)

The editorial offers a quote from another newspaper that basically defines the mission statement of the Weekly Advocate. The writer expressed his appreciation for the welcome and support the Weekly Advocate received from other newspapers in the area.

Description of file(s): one scanned, one columned, newspaper page

Subtitle: Free Man of Colour.

Title: Weekly Advocate - January 14, 1837

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Weekly Advocate (1837)

The writer expressed the irony of a system that labeled a person "fee" when he or she is restricted by prejudice and racially based laws. Freedom for African Americans in New York in 1837 is limited and controlled.

Description of file(s): one scanned newspaper column

Subtitle: Slavery at Washington, DC.

Title: Weekly Advocate - January 14, 1837

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Weekly Advocate (1837)

The writer expressed his outrage at learning of the sale of slaves in Washington, D.C., the supposedly free and hallowed soil of U.S. government. He warned that free people of color were not safe as long as this practice was tolerated.

Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page

Subtitle: Read This. Beware of Kidnappers.

Title: Weekly Advocate - January 14, 1837

Speaker or author: Ruggles, David, 1810-1849

Newspaper or publication: Weekly Advocate (1837)

David Ruggles describes his experience with men who wanted to capture him as a fugitive slave and force him aboard a Brazilian ship bound for Portugal. Both Ruggles and Philip Bell warn the African American public that people are being kidnapped by the crew of this ship and are not heard from again.

Description of file(s): two scanned, two columned, newspaper pages

Subtitle: Our Undertaking.

Title: Weekly Advocate - January 14, 1837

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Weekly Advocate (1837)

Editorial describing the benefits of newspapers published by and for African Americans. The writer emphasizes what makes this newspaper different from others. (See editorial 01671)

Description of file(s): two scanned, two columned, newspaper pages

Subtitle: Our Prospects.

Title: Weekly Advocate - January 14, 1837

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Weekly Advocate (1837)

The editor called for increased subscriptions to the newspaper. He emphasized the benefits of this type of social connection for African Americans in the community.

Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page

Subtitle: Another Year Has Fled.

Title: Weekly Advocate - January 14, 1837

Speaker or author: Sears, Robert

Newspaper or publication: Weekly Advocate (1837)

Robert Sears wished subscribers a Happy New Year. He stressed the progress and failures of the preceding year, and offered hope and encouragement for African Americans in the years to come.

Description of file(s): two scanned, two columned, newspaper pages

Subtitle: The Bible.

Title: Weekly Advocate - January 21, 1837

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Weekly Advocate (1837)

The writer defended Christians and what he called Christian inquiry. He believed that those who thought that Christians "supersede the exercise of reason" didn't understand how faith works in the social world.

Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page

Subtitle: To Our Friends and Subscribers.

Title: Weekly Advocate - January 21, 1837

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Weekly Advocate (1837)

The editor appealed to subscribers for financial backing to continue the newspaper publication. He emphasized the benefits of the newspaper to the African American community.

Description of file(s): two scanned newspaper pages (three columns)

Subtitle: The Right of Petition.

Title: Weekly Advocate - January 21, 1837

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Weekly Advocate (1837)

The writer discussed new legislation in Congress that suggested that any "petition, memorials, resolutions, propositions, or papers relating to slavery or the abolition of slavery" be left un-addressed, unread, and unacknowledged.

Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page

Title: Weekly Advocate - January 21, 1837

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Weekly Advocate (1837)

The writer pointed out that it is unjust to assume that because there are poor free black people that all free black people are doomed by the fact of their race to a life of poverty, ignorance and "natural inferiority."

Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page

Subtitle: The Beauties of Slavery.

Title: Weekly Advocate - January 21, 1837

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Weekly Advocate (1837)

The writer called for universal emancipation. He emphasized the moral and political injustices of the system of slavery in the U.S.

Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page

Subtitle: To Our Correspondents.

Title: Weekly Advocate - January 21, 1837

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Weekly Advocate (1837)

The editor replies to a letter written by someone who criticized local newspapers for printing negative articles regarding African Americans. The previous writer had called the newspapers "perverse" and immoral.

Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page

Subtitle: Awful Calumnies.

Title: Weekly Advocate - January 21, 1837

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Weekly Advocate (1837)

The editor defended the African American population of New York against an editorial from another source expressing the view that "hundreds, yes thousands..." of black Americans were preying on the white population. The article had been published warning the people of New York that "The city is beset by bands of bold marauding blacks, who stop at no atrocity, to carry out their fell purpose of plunder and robbery."

Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page

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