William Lloyd Garrison And Fredrick Douglass

Douglass and President Lincoln agreed that slavery needed to be abolished and the Nation needed to be united as one. Lincoln realized that he needed to bring in Frederick Douglass; the combination of a strong and influential black leader and the President of the United States could now create a cohesive group of abolitionists and the Union. Frederick Douglass realized that President Lincoln’s own personality and political judgment would help him free slaves across the country. Realizing each other’s strengths, both men were able to be effective through the use strong actions and powerful words of one another; their relationship played a key role in changing the nations views on slavery and race.

The word abolitionist has lingered since the late 1800’s. Due to the fact that people wanted slavery gone and they wanted that immediately. But the word abolitionist isn’t just for the American Civil War it was made to hold the meaning of the act of abolition. Now what abolition means is to get rid of or destroy which is what they did to slavery after the Union won the civil war. Now what is an abolitionist was back in the 1800’s they were people who did their best to support the Union and fought slavery on their own accord whether it be speeches or protests, they did what they could to get rid of slavery.

Frederick Douglass was many things; a man, an orator, a writer, an avid abolitionist, a presidential advisor and a slave. Douglass lived the majority of his life as a free man after escaping his bondage at age 20. However, everything he did and accomplished over the course of his life was influenced and affected by his past as a slave. Just as slavery shaped Douglass’s existence, the politics of the 19th century would not escape the pressure of the debate over slavery. From the American Revolution to the Civil War, slavery embedded itself into the Southern economy and culture to the point where the argument over its expansion would necessitate complex political workarounds, and break up the national political parties of the last few decades down sectional lines.

Slavery was one of the most horrific acts ever instilled on a race of people in world’s history. The history paints a truly horrific picture when blacks were stolen from their homelands, taken away from their families, enslaved and suffered from harsh punishments. The first opposition of practicing slavery in antebellum America takes its origins from the beginning of nineteenth century. The most recognizable abolitionists such as William Lloyd Garrison, George Thompson, David Walker and Frederic Douglass were the first who unfolded the antislavery debates in transnational ways. Their persistent eagerness and appeal to public opinion helped to sow seeds of abolishing slavery in America.

Garrison’s initiation into journalism began when he was apprenticed to Ephraim W. Allen, the editor of the Newburyport Herald, at the age of 13. Garrison served as an apprentice to Allen for seven years, and his time with the Herald led Garrison to publish his own newspaper, the Newburyport Free Press. Despite the failure of the Newburyport Free Press two years later in 1826, Garrison continued his work in the newspaper industry as the editor of the National Philanthropist in Boston. The National Philanthropist was William’s first foray into reform, and the newspaper advocated for the temperance movement. Not only was the National Philanthropist Garrison’s entry into social reform, but the Bostonian paper also served as the gateway to the cause of anti-slavery. This gateway would be William’s meeting with Benjamin Lundy in 1828, the editor of the anti-slavery Genius of Emancipation. Garrison became the editor of the Genius of Emancipation, and during his employment, he became cognizant of the injustices of African American slavery. While writing for the cause of African American liberty, he joined the American Colonization Society (“Garrison, William Lloyd”). The Society called for the resettlement of free blacks to Africa on the basis of their “notoriously ignorant, degraded and miserable” character (Faragher 442). It became clear to William that the

During his time in jail, Garrison’s rage intensified immensely as he thought about the injustice of being in jail for “denouncing slavery in a free country” (Masur 24). From his jail cell, Garrison heard slave auctions being held and watched as slaveholders came to retrieve fugitive slaves, making eye contact with the slaves as they passed by. He began “to compare his own situation, his own “captivity” to their fate” (Masur 25). Once released from jail, Garrison returned to Boston with plans to start his own anti-slavery newspaper called the Liberator.

The Abolitionist movement was a reform movement that pursued to terminate the enslavement of Africans and people of African descent in American, Europe, and Africa. Abolitionist thoughts and ideas became more and more noticeable in Northern politics and churches starting in the 1830s, which subsidized to the hatred and bitterness between North and South leading up to the Civil War. One important abolitionist in this movement was William Lloyd Garrison. He was an American journalist and a militant abolitionist who helped lead this popular and successful abolitionist movement against slavery in the United States.

Frederick Douglas and Abraham Lincoln are heroic people because they inspired many, went through physical and mental challenges and were memorable historical figures. The two articles, “White House Funeral Sermon for Abraham Lincoln” and “The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas, an American Slave”, shows how they inspired many. In the text, “White House Funeral Serman for Abraham Lincoln, states “He is dead; but the cause he so ardently loved, so ably, patiently, faithfully, represented and defended-not for himself only, not for us only…….” shows that Lincoln inspired many by being dedicated to his cause. On the other hand, Douglas inspired many by his courage and dedication. They also went through physical and mental challenges. In

Let every female heart become united” (Stewart.1863). One of the most notable white abolitionists, William Lloyd Garrison was extremely vocal in the abolitionist movement. He served as the editor of the abolitionist newspaper, The Liberator founded by him and a colleague. He was one of the few who demanded the “immediate emancipation” of slaves in The United States. In one of his more famous speeches, “No Compromise with the Evil of Slavery” Garrison declares that slavery is undeniably and immoral and that freedom is holy and slavery is opposite, “My singularity is that when I say that freedom is of God and slavery is of the devil, I mean just what I say” (Garrison).

Political and social changes occurred in many ways. One example of a social change includes The Second Great Awakening. As a result, the massive religious movement caused a numerous amount of reform movements such as abolitionism, public education, and the temperance movement (Puzan). Abolitionists realized that slaves were not to be treated like animals, and voiced this concept strongly. William Lloyd Garrison, an influential abolitionist and author of a newspaper called The Liberator, expressed his opinion about the evils of humanity and slavery through these papers (Puzan). In one of Garrison’s poems, Sonnet to Liberty, he wrote, “I may not plead for all the human race; that some are born to bondage and disgrace, some to a heritage of woe and shame,” strongly believing that all men should be treated the same (Garrison). Garrison’s persuasion caused more commotion throughout the country over slavery, because he believed that slaves were equal to whites. The Second Great Awakening led to the Civil War, because the amount of citizens against slavery increased and divided the people of the North and the South.

Garrison’s was a person who took in consideration of the so-called free man’s land, but it really wasn’t according to him. America was supposed to be the land of the free and equal opportunities, but it was far from that seeing as how slavery kept African American’s in chattel bondage. In my essay I will reveal how this free African American made a change in a slave’s life, fighting for their freedom and also free African American’s rights as well. I will address Garrison views on how he looked upon on abolition movement, gradual emancipation, colonization and violence.

Like the Quakers before them, the nineteenth-century abolitionists considered the enslavement of another human to be a sin. However, the abolitionists developed their case against slavery by documenting the specific sins of southern slavery. Among others, these sins consisted of "economic exploitation, sexual license, gambling, drinking and dueling, and a disregard for family ties. Abolitionist, William Lloyd Garrison argues that slaves are just like other human beings and thus they must be given the same legal protection as whites have. The inequality of blacks under the law makes the entire slave system unjustifiable. Garrison proclaims that if America truly believes in democracy, justice, and equality, then slavery cannot exist within this system. Garrison also makes a powerful call to action for all Christians to resist the slave system; he concludes that those who are truly on the side of God must also be against slavery.

One of William Lloyd Garrison’s speeches was spoken in 1854. Garrison was a man who was famous for favoring the abolition of slavery. He gave this address when he wanted to reach out to the people and sway them to end the cruel act of slaveholding. This was during the time when slavery was a huge part of the North and South since they claimed land on the Americas. Garrison did not specifically address anyone in the speech itself, but the general audience had to have been the people of the United States. His antislavery view was one felt strongly about and wanted to create a movement to abolish it. This source can be useful when teaching the history of slavery in the 1800’s. It shows the point of view of not the slave themselves, but movements that people against slavery were trying advocate.

“...there was a time when to pronounce against England [racialized slavery], and in favor of the cause of the colonies [abolition of racialized slavery], tried men’s souls. They who did so were accounted in their day, plotters of mischief, agitators and rebels, dangerous men [a threat to the economic benefits of slavery]. To side with the right, against the wrong, with the weak against the strong , and with the oppressed [black slaves] against the oppressor [majority of whites]!” (Douglass, 1852)

Slavery started in 1619 when the first ship came to America and 1808 ended the importation of slaves but slavery was abolished until January 1, 1836 with the Emancipation Proclamation. Although slavery was illegal that did not stop the hatred and cruel activities white people had against the Blacks. After African Americans started evolving and started taking actions this is when The Civil Rights movement began and blacks want their rights as citizens and wanted to be equal. These major leaders during this era were Dr. King, Frederick Douglass, and Malcolm X. It is important to compare and contrast their biographies, philosophies, achievements, and public regard. After careful examination it will be proven that philosophies have been the most impactful.