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Tag Archives: emancipation

Colonization March 2016

Colonization is the process by which one power dominates another. This can be the way a more powerful country takes control of another, but it’s also the way one culture seeks to control another by usurping the established cultural civilization of another. This has happened time and again since human beings migrated out of Africa — as they defeated tribes and gained territories, as they morphed languages and destroyed religions, they also changed their own culture. Societies have evolved by snuffing out the weaker cultures, and taking control of their languages, their rituals, the details of their social structures that made the conquered culture unique....

Black Abolitionist Archive abolition, African Americans, archive, black abolitionist, black history, emancipation, freedom, history, slavery Linda Papa Updated: February 17, 2016

“Where is Charles O’Conor?” November 2015

The U.S. Civil War officially began in the early months of 1861. Rumblings of war and early warning signs were very apparent in the months and years preceding this official date, however. Members of the free black population were already taking steps during this time to sabotage what they called the “slavocracy” as an economic institution. And they were doing a great job of it. Slowly but surely each patient step toward disruption through “agitation” (as they called it), legal wranglings, and speaking engagements was making an impact....

Black Abolitionist Archive abolition, African Americans, archive, black abolitionist, black history, editorial, emancipation, freedom, history, slavery Linda Papa Updated: October 7, 2015

Defining American Slavery July 2015

In an editorial published in the the Weekly Anglo-African newspaper on March 9, 1861, there’s a review of a recent book (titled, American slavery distinguished from the slavery of English theorists, and justified by the law of nature) on the defining of slavery and of slaves as human beings. The writer of this article compares this recent publication with another book published by John H. Van Evrie (another pro-slavery writer) about the same time. The focus is on the question of whether a slave owner has the right to take the life of a slave when he chooses. And this question comes down to the definition of slavery itself....

Black Abolitionist Archive abolition, African Americans, archival, archive, black abolitionist, black history, editorial, emancipation, history, slavery Linda Papa Updated: July 2, 2015

The Age of Inquiry May 2015

In March, 1827, Freedom’s Journal, the first black-owned and operated newspaper was established with the goal of reaching the free black population in the northeastern part of the U.S. A speech (delivered in July, 1830) by one of its founders, Peter Williams, is among some of the earliest speeches held in the Black Abolitionist archive.

Soon, other black-owned newspapers followed. Among these was Frederick Douglass’ Paper (which had evolved from his previous newspapers), and among the editors of this paper was teacher, writer, and Black Abolitionist, William J. Watkins....

Black Abolitionist Archive abolition, archive, black abolitionist, black history, education, emancipation, freedom, history, newspaper, slavery Linda Papa Updated: May 14, 2015

The Merry Christmas Time December 2014

There are only three small entries in the Black Abolitionist Archive associated with Christmas, so I chose this one. While this holiday was important to an enslaved people learning about the celebration of this Christmas story from the periphery of the Christian families who enslaved them, the way they celebrated this holiday was different. The celebration of any special occasion then was on Church, prayer, thankfulness, and finding joy where they could....

Black Abolitionist Archive abolition, African Americans, black abolitionist, black history, celebration, emancipation, essay, heritage, history, newspaper Linda Papa Updated: December 11, 2014

Civil War and Civil Rights July 2014

It was fear mostly that kept free black men from being accepted for enlistment in the early days of the Civil War (1861-1865). Although they had fought in both the American Revolution and the War of 1812, the uprisings and revolts of later years encouraged government worry about arming black men. Yet while riots and desertion were plentiful when it came to drafting white men into the war, those black men who were committed to fighting for freedom were turned...

Black Abolitionist Archive abolition, African Americans, black abolitionist, black history, Civil War, emancipation, freedom, history, slavery Linda Papa Updated: June 19, 2014

Celebrating Independence July 2014

Today all Americans celebrate Independence Day (July 4th) as a federal holiday commemorating the Declaration of Independence signed on July 4, 1776. This event marked this country’s freedom from Great Britain during the Revolutionary War (1775-1783). But did you know that August 1 (Emancipation Day) was celebrated as a day of independence and liberation for thousands of enslaved and formerly enslaved people in this country and others for years after slavery was abolished in the West Indies on this day...

Black Abolitionist Archive abolition, African Americans, black abolitionist, black history, celebration, emancipation, freedom, slavery Linda Papa Updated: June 30, 2014

Independence Day July 2014

In a New Haven, Connecticut church on July 5, 1832, black abolitionist Peter Osborne spoke of independence. In those early days of the movement towards freedom from slavery, each July 4th holiday offered a way for abolitionists to remind the country of those who had never known freedom here. This one day out of each year had come to symbolize what had become the hallmark foundation of the United States, and yet was denied to so many who lived here. ...

Black Abolitionist Archive abolition, African Americans, black abolitionist, black history, celebration, emancipation, history, Liberator newspaper, slavery, speech Linda Papa Updated: July 3, 2014

Education, 1851 June 2014

History has a way of collapsing time. It moves along a social timeline from major event to major event and the small steps that occurred to the human beings involved in the day to day struggle between those events is often overlooked. We see for example the settling of Jamestown, Virginia in 1619 (and the African slaves who were included in this), the Civil War in 1861, and the emancipation of slaves in 1863. We’re told that slavery had a long history of cruelty and abuse, and we are hesitant to spend too much time exploring the detailed lives of those who survived this....

Black Abolitionist Archive abolition, African Americans, archival, black abolitionist, black history, editorial, education, emancipation, freedom, history, slavery, student Linda Papa Updated: May 27, 2014

Anthony Burns February 2014

Those of you who have visited the Black Abolitionist Archive have likely noticed the photograph of a young man named Anthony Burns in the upper left-hand corner of the main page. There’s an interesting history to this young man’s experience that helped to bring to light the depth of the outrage of slavery, and to change the hearts and minds of the citizens of Boston. Through his own words we learn of his plight....

Black Abolitionist Archive abolition, African Americans, black abolitionist, black history, emancipation, escape, freedom, history, slavery Linda Papa Updated: February 5, 2014

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