Bearing Witness: American Slavery As It Is
The 1839 book 'American Slavery As It Is: Testimony of a Thousand Witnesses', written by Theodore Weld, his wife Angelina Grimke, and her sister Sarah Grimke, documented slavery's horrors.
A Radical Wedding and a Violent Response
In the spring of 1838, abolitionists Theodore Weld and Angelina Grimke wed in a "scandalous" ceremony, one unlike any other before seen. As news of the wedding spread, racial tensions in the city of Philadelphia reached a boiling point.
Women's Voices in the Abolitionist Movement
The Grimke sisters, Angelina and Sarah, lectured against slavery throughout the 1830s, even though they were condemned by many for speaking out as women.
Violence Against Abolitionists
Abolitionists, including Lewis Tappan and William Lloyd Garrison, were surprised by the vehement reaction to their 1835 postal anti-slavery campaign.
A Viral Campaign against Slavery
In 1835, abolitionists William Lloyd Garrison and Lewis Tappan proposed a a bold plan to spread their anti-slavery message throughout the United States.
The Economics of Slavery
In the late 1820s there were 2 million men, women, and children living in bondage in the United States. What was the economic value of slavery to 19th century American life?
Frederick Douglass Reacts
In 1833, Frederick Douglass was sent to a slave breaker to be beaten back into submission. After six months of beatings, Douglass fought back. "I was nothing before. I was a man now."
The Massachusetts 54th
With the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, the war merged with the abolitionist cause. The Proclamation had included an unexpected clause: at last, black men could enlist in the armed services of the United States.
Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 made the hunting down of escaped slaves, even in free states, fully legal. To abolitionists, this represented a huge blow to their efforts. Not only had the federal government endorsed slavery, but it had also committed to preserving the institution indefinitely.
A Eulogy to the Movement
At the death of William Lloyd Garrison in 1879, Frederick Douglass offers a eulogy to the abolitionists and to the movement itself.
Garrison Introduces Douglass
William Lloyd Garrison speaks to a crowd of abolitionists in Nantucket, Massachusetts. He introduces the self-emancipated Frederick Douglass, soon leading to a powerful partnership with a common cause -- immediate abolition of slavery.
Frederick Douglass Begins to Understand Slavery
At six years old, Frederick Douglass had just begun his life as a slave when he witnessed his aunt get beaten brutally by her master. "It was the bloodstained gate, the entrance to the hell of slavery," he would later write.
Angelina Grimke Goes Public
After reading reports of pro-slavery violence, Angelina Grimke decided she could remain silent no longer. She published a letter in "The Liberator" and wrote "An Appeal to the Women of the South," urging them to work for the downfall of slavery.
William Lloyd Garrison arrives in Boston
At 22, William Lloyd Garrison moved to Boston and settles on the abolition of slavery as the cause that will give meaning to his life.
Burning Abolitionist Literature
The Anti-Slavery Society's great postal campaign of 1835 flooded the South with abolitionist literature. Instead of bringing about the end of slavery, it triggered a wave of repression. In Charleston, SC, 3,000 people gathered in Post Office square to destroy anti-slavery materials and burn Garrison in effigy.
Angelina Grimke Rebels
The daughter of one of South Carolina's first families, Angelina Grimke lived in luxury. But she also believed slavery was a sin and God would punish people who had slaves.
Garrison Publishes "The Liberator"
William Lloyd Garrison published the first issue of "The Liberator" on January 1, 1831 with financial support from both black and white abolitionists. "There shall be no neutrals," he declared. "Men shall either like or dislike me."
Angelina Leaves Home
In the fall of 1829, Angelina Grimke resolved to leave Charleston and the pollutions of slavery, for an uncertain future in the North
Harriet Beecher Stowe Visits a Slave State
Having recently moved to Cincinnati with her family, Harriet Beecher visited the slave state of Kentucky in 1833, staying here at the Marshall Key House. While in Kentucky, she witnessed slavery up close for the first time. The house now operates as the Harriet Beecher Stowe, Slavery to Freedom Museum.
The Abolitionists Extended Preview
A preview for "The Abolitionists," premiering January 8, 15 & 22, 2013.
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