Black Abolitionist Archive

Title: John Sella Martin

Speaker or author: Martin, J. Sella (John Sella), b. 1832

Newspaper or publication: Anti-Slavery Advocate

Brief speech praising the work of William Lloyd Garrison, Wendell Phillips, and John Brown. The speaker said that just because there is no news of discontent from the slaves in the South does not mean that they are happy with their situation.

Description of file(s): PDF 1 page, 134 word document (text and image)

Title: John J. Gaines

Speaker or author: Gaines, John J.

Newspaper or publication: Anti-Slavery Bugle

Speech describing the effects of prejudice in the U.S. on living arrangements and education.

Description of file(s): PDF 4 page, 872 word document (text and images)

Title: John Mercer Langston

Speaker or author: Langston, John Mercer, 1829-1897.

Newspaper or publication: Anti-Slavery Bugle

Speech regarding the inhumanity of slavery, emphasizing the government backing the institution of slavery receives that keeps it strongly in place.

Description of file(s): PDF 4 page, 973 word document (text and images)

Title: John Mercer Langston

Speaker or author: Langston, John Mercer, 1829-1897.

Newspaper or publication: Anti-Slavery Bugle

Brief speech discounting the Democratic party's pro-slavery stance and the laws that had resulted from its influence.

Description of file(s): PDF 2 page, 491 word document (text and images)

Title: John Mercer Langston

Speaker or author: Langston, John Mercer, 1829-1897.

Newspaper or publication: Anti-Slavery Bugle

The speaker stressed that where there is one person legally enslaved in the U.S., there is no liberty for anyone. Slavery makes slaves of us all. When a government encourages slavery, it evokes a need to control the slaves. This requires laws which limit freedom for everyone. The speaker offered examples to substantiate his ideas.

Description of file(s): PDF 12 page, 3,349 word document (text and images)

Title: Henry Highland Garnet

Speaker or author: Garnet, Henry Highland, 1815-1882

Newspaper or publication: Anti-Slavery Reporter

Brief speech denouncing the Fugitive Slave Bill. The speaker also encouraged his audience to buy "free-labor" goods instead of those produced by slave labor.

Description of file(s): PDF 1 page, 436 word document (image and text)

Title: Henry Highland Garnet

Speaker or author: Garnet, Henry Highland, 1815-1882

Newspaper or publication: Anti-Slavery Reporter

Speech denouncing the Fugitive Slave Law, and focusing on the efforts of the Church in the continuation of the system of slavery.

Description of file(s): PDF 2 page, 882 word document (text and images)

Title: Henry Highland Garnet

Speaker or author: Garnet, Henry Highland, 1815-1882

Newspaper or publication: Anti-Slavery Reporter

Speech before a British audience condemning slavery in the U.S. The speaker pointed out the irony of the American stance on freedom when it continued to enslave millions of people. He also praised the work of British abolitionists.

Description of file(s): PDF 4 page, 1,445 word document (text and images)

Title: Henry Highland Garnet

Speaker or author: Garnet, Henry Highland, 1815-1882.

Newspaper or publication: Anti-Slavery Reporter

Speech calling for an end to slavery and asking that America join this fight for the emancipation of all slaves. He says: "The children of Africa, scattered as they were all over the world, unnationed, appealed to America for redress -- that America whose sails whiten every sea, and whose diplomatic parchment is lying in every court..."

Description of file(s): PDF 1 page, 312 word document (text and image)

Title: Henry Highland Garnet

Speaker or author: Garnet, Henry Highland, 1815-1882

Newspaper or publication: Belfast Newsletter

Speech denouncing the Fugitive Slave Law and emphasizing its cruelty and potential to contribute to continued prejudice. The speaker emphasized that the Irish who were immigrating to the U.S. by the hundreds could offer tremendous aid in abolishing slavery.

Description of file(s): PDF 4 page, 1,217 word document (text and images)

Title: Lewis Hayden

Speaker or author: Hayden, Lewis, 1815-1889

Newspaper or publication: Boston Athenaeum -- Pamphlet Collection

Lengthy speech regarding the status of freed African Americans within the order of Freemasonry. The speaker stressed concern over growing racial prejudice within the order. He was also concerned that President Andrew Johnson was not doing anything to combat the increasing racial prejudice within the U.S. The speaker paid special attention to the wording of the Freemason doctrine regarding membership. He also gave a brief history of the order, including its goals, moral obligations and social commitment. This speech contains valuable information regarding the influence of Freemasonry in the founding of the U. S.

Description of file(s): PDF 56 page, 17,480 word document (text and images)

Title: Henry Highland Garnet

Speaker or author: Garnet, Henry Highland, 1815-1882

Newspaper or publication: British Friend

Speaker expressed his appreciation for all the kindness he and his fellow travelers had received in England and Germany.

Description of file(s): PDF 1 page, 195 word document (text and image)

Title: Henry Highland Garnet

Speaker or author: Garnet, Henry Highland, 1815-1882

Newspaper or publication: Christian News

Baned from the church pulpit, the speaker gave his impassioned address to the gathered crowd from the steps of the church in front of the bolted door. He recounted stories of the abuse and injustices that slaves continued to endure, and emphasized how their lives were lived in terms of property.

Description of file(s): PDF 4 page, 1,017 word document (text and images)

Title: Henry Highland Garnet

Speaker or author: Garnet, Henry Highland, 1815-1882

Newspaper or publication: Christian News

Speech before a British audience condemning the Fugitive Slave Law and slavery in the U.S. The speaker pointed out the irony of the American stance on freedom when it continued to enslave millions of people.

Description of file(s): PDF 4 page, 1,131 word document (text and images)

Title: John Andrew Jackson

Speaker or author: Jackson, John Andrew

Newspaper or publication: Christian News

Anecdotal speech regarding one man's experience with slavery. The speaker was presenting his story and the story of one other slave in hopes of raising enough money to purchase his father's and sister's freedom.

Description of file(s): PDF 4 page, 1,024 word document (text and images)

Title: Henry Highland Garnet

Speaker or author: Garnet, Henry Highland, 1815-1882

Newspaper or publication: Christian Recorder (1852 - 1856)

Brief overview of speech given to eulogize Abraham Lincoln and collect money to benefit the church.

Description of file(s): PDF 1 page, 274 word document (text and image)

Title: John Peck

Speaker or author: Peck, John, of Pittsburgh

Newspaper or publication: Christian Recorder (1852 - 1856)

Brief speech in which the speaker stressed unity of purpose and a coordinated effort among white as well as black citizens to reach the goals of equality, moral elevation, and racial harmony.

Description of file(s): PDF 3 page, 564 word document (text and images)

Title: John Sweat Rock

Speaker or author: Rock, John S. (John Sweat), 1825-1866

Newspaper or publication: Christian Recorder (1852 - 1856)

Brief overview of a speech regarding the refusal of the government to arm and accept as soldiers African Americans during the Civil War. This situation would alter as the war neared its end.

Description of file(s): PDF 2 page, 440 word document (text and images)

Title: Henry Highland Garnet

Speaker or author: Garnet, Henry Highland, 1815-1882.

Newspaper or publication: Colored American (1837 - 1842)

Speech praising the assistance, compassion and "charity" women offer in helping to abolish slavery and aiding those in need.

Description of file(s): PDF 5 page, 1,516 word document (text and images)

Title: Henry Highland Garnet

Speaker or author: Garnet, Henry Highland, 1815-1882

Newspaper or publication: Douglass' Monthly

The speaker argued that prejudice and acts of violence against the free people of color in the northern states was instigated by southern extremists in an effort to disrupt the union and encourage unrest. He accused northern newspapers and unjust journalism (fed by southern sympathies) for the current violence against black Americans in the north.

Description of file(s): PDF 4 page, 844 word document (text and images)