Black Abolitionist Archive

Title: James Theodore Holly

Speaker or author: Holly, James Theodore

Newspaper or publication: African Repository

Sermon in tribute of Bishop Francis Burns, emphasizing his successful career and missionary work in Africa.

Description of file(s): PDF 5 page, 3,407 word document (text and images)

Title: William Andrew Jackson

Speaker or author: Jackson, William Andrew, b. 1832

Newspaper or publication: Anti-Slavery Advocate

Brief overview of speech by the coachman of Jefferson Davis (who had recently escaped and settled in England) describing his experience with slavery. (See duplicate speech 26152.)

Description of file(s): PDF 1 page, 301 word document (text and image)

Title: George W. Turley

Speaker or author: Turley, George W.

Newspaper or publication: Christian Recorder (1852 - 1856)

An account of the author's travels via stage coach through small towns in Colorado.

Description of file(s): PDF 3 page, 866 word document (text and images)

Title: Henry Highland Garnet

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

Newspaper or publication: Douglass' Monthly

The speaker said that black soldiers were not given the same incentives to fight as white soldiers and this just continued the prejudicial injustice they had already suffered. He asked only that equal rights prevail in the military.

Description of file(s): PDF 1 page, 256 word document (text and image)

Title: William Craft

Speaker or author: Craft, William

Newspaper or publication: Inquirer

The speaker challenged the proposition put forth that mixing the races would result in "weak and feeble offspring" and that the race would eventually die out. Those agreeing with the idea of forbidding interracial marriage were not considering the children of slaves and slaveholders that were born out of wedlock. The speaker said that he believed two-thirds of slaves in the U.S. were of mixed blood.

Description of file(s): PDF 2 page, 542 word document (text and images)

Title: William Wells Brown

Speaker or author: Brown, William Wells, 1814?-1884

Newspaper or publication: Liberator

Brief speech in which the speaker praised the black soldiers of the Union Army.

Description of file(s): PDF 1 page, 321 word document (text and image)

Title: William Wells Brown

Speaker or author: Brown, William Wells, 1814?-1884

Newspaper or publication: Liberator

Overview of a speech in which the speaker provided examples of how slaves would be able to take care of themselves if freed. This was a rebuttal of the idea that the slaves would be incapable of caring for themselves if freed.

Description of file(s): PDF 3 page, 661 word document (text and images)

Title: William Wells Brown

Speaker or author: Brown, William Wells, 1814?-1884

Newspaper or publication: Liberator

Brief speech in which the speaker expresses his positive feelings about the acceptance of black soldiers in the Civil War. He emphasized that now they can truly be included in the fight for freedom.

Description of file(s): PDF 2 page, 368 word document (text and images)

Title: Martin Robison Delany

Speaker or author: Delany, Martin Robison, 1812-1885

Newspaper or publication: Liberator

Detailed account of some of the customs and culture of the people of Africa who the speaker had studied during his explorations of that country.

Description of file(s): PDF 6 page, 1,445 word document (text and images)

Title: Henry Highland Garnet

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

Newspaper or publication: Liberator

The speaker read the Emancipation Proclamation aloud to a cheering audience and urged African Americans to join the Union army in the Civil War's continued fighting.

Description of file(s): PDF 3 page, 830 word document (text and images)

Title: Henry Highland Garnet

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

Newspaper or publication: Liberator

Brief speech encouraging African American men of New York to enlist in the army and fight for their country now that the opportunity had been given to them. He believed that of the black men working as "menials" in the current army who had already received wounds from fighting, all would have chosen to be soldiers if they'd had the opportunity.

Description of file(s): PDF 1 page, 234 word document (text and image)

Title: J. E. Green

Speaker or author: Green, J. E., of Michigan

Newspaper or publication: Liberator

Overview of a brief speech in which the speaker noted the emancipation of slaves in other countries based on their patriotism and willingness to fight for their countries. He compared this to the withholding of freedom from African Americans who had fought bravely for the U. S.

Description of file(s): PDF 2 page, 456 word document (text and images)

Title: Leonard A. Grimes

Speaker or author: Grimes, Leonard A., 1815-1874

Newspaper or publication: Liberator

Brief speech in which the speaker urged all African American men in New England to take up arms against the Confederacy since they had now been given the opportunity to do so. He reminded his listeners that they had offered to help fight the war in the past and had been refused. Now was the time to prove themselves worthy of the opportunity to fight that the government was giving to them.

Description of file(s): PDF 1 page, 288 word document (text and image)

Title: T. H. C. Hinton

Speaker or author: Hinton, T. H. C.

Newspaper or publication: Liberator

Brief speech encouraging African American men to enlist and fight in the army now that the opportunity was offered to them.

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

Title: John Sella Martin

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

Newspaper or publication: Liberator

Speech delivered before an English audience requesting that the British government refuse aid and assistance to the Confederacy.

Description of file(s): PDF 1 page, 289 word document (text and image)

Title: John Sella Martin

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

Newspaper or publication: Liberator

The speaker appealed to the people of Great Britain for their support in the fight for emancipation in the U.S. He explained a bit of what was happening in the U.S. regarding the war, and focused on the issue of slavery and the strides being made by the anti-slavery movements there.

Description of file(s): PDF 14 page, 4,006 word document (text and images)

Title: William E. Mathews

Speaker or author: Matthews, William E.

Newspaper or publication: Liberator

Speech delivered on the April 16th anniversary of the emancipation of Washington, DC. The speaker stressed his belief that the accomplishments of all renowned black people should be celebrated on a special holiday.

Description of file(s): PDF 2 page, 418 word document (text and images)

Title: William Cooper Nell

Speaker or author: Nell, William C. (William Cooper), 1816-1874.

Newspaper or publication: Liberator

Speech given celebrating the Emancipation Proclamation and honoring those who fought for this glorious event. The speaker acknowledged the contributions of African American heroes of the Civil War, the American Revolution, and the long struggle for emancipation.

Description of file(s): PDF 3 page, 760 word document (text and images)

Title: Robert Purvis

Speaker or author: Purvis, Robert, 1810-1898

Newspaper or publication: Liberator

Speech delivered during the presentation of a flag to honor black troops for their heroism in Civil War battles.

Description of file(s): PDF 2 page, 390 word document (text and images)

Title: John Sweat Rock

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

Newspaper or publication: Liberator

Speech given to celebrate the Emancipation Proclamation. The speaker rejoiced and offered thanks to all those who had sacrificed so much for this day.

Description of file(s): PDF 3 page, 790 word document (text and images)