Abolitionists and Proslavery Advocates in Antebellum American

"Who would be free themselves must strike the blow....I urge you to fly to arms and smite to death the power that would bury the Government and your liberty in the same hopeless grave. This is your golden opportunity." ...Frederick Douglass 

''We have enriched in blood and tears."
... David Walker

 

Fredrick Douglass

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Fredrick Douglas
Fredrick Douglass was  an American social reformer, orator, statesman, and writer. Douglass was born into slavery when he was born into slavery. When he was six his grandmother took him to the plantation of his master and left him there, when he was about eight he was sent to Baltimore to live as a houseboy with Hugh and Sophia Auld, relatives of his master. The Mistress at the household shortly after his arrival taught him the alphabet, her husband forbid her to continue her instruction, because it was unlawful to teach slaves how to read so Frederick took it upon himself to learn. Douglass would give away his food in exchange for reading and writing lessons from the boys in his area. Douglass bought a popular schoolbook at the time called " The Columbus September 3, 1838. Travelling by train for his first time, then steamboat, then train, he arrived in New York City the following day. January 1, 1836, Douglass made a resolution that he would be free by the end of the year. He planned an escape. But early in April he was jailed after his plan was discovered. Two years later, while living in Baltimore and working at a shipyard, Douglass would finally realize his dream: he fled the city on September 3, 1838. Travelling by train, then steamboat, then train, he arrived in New York City the following day. Several weeks later he had settled in New Bedford, Massachusetts, living with his newlywed bride. Being an ex-slave he became a prominent, abolitionist, publisher, and spokesman against slavery. But his biggest accomplishment was becoming a famous conductor on the Underground Railroad. February 20, 1895, in the same month he had been born a slave seventy-seven years earlier, Frederick Douglass died a free man in his own home, a famous man, and a hero.

David Walker

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David Walker
David Walker was born on September 27th, 1785. He was an African American Activist who demanded the immediate end of slavery. David Walker was born free, but his father was an enslaved black man while he mother was a free slave. David Walker traveled the country and eventually settled in Boston. Boston is a free state and even in a free state he still witnessed discrrimination. While in Boston, Walker began to associate with prominent black activisits, and joined instituitions that were against slavery in the South and discrimination in the North. Walker became involved with thetion's first African American "The Freedom Journal", and by the end of 1828 he became the Boston's leading spokesman against slavery. In 1829 David Walker wrote his appeal combining a piercing indictment of slavery and racism with a passionate call for action by Black men, urging that if there was a need to use violence to get the freedom they deserved they shall do so. The appeal was traveling fast, and in New Orleans authorities arrested four Black men for owning copies. In North Carolina vigilantes attacked free Blacks assuming they had copies, and in Georgia, they instituted a ban on Blacks seamen coming ashore because white people feared that they were distributing the incendiary pamphlet. Some Blacks were lynched, others whipped. Yet the document continued to circulate. Plantation owners offered a bounty for Walker’s death and anyone who captured Walker and brought him alive to the South would receive a $10,000 reward. Walker died in 1848 after the publication of his third edition to his pamphlet, records say he was reportedly found dead slumped in a doorway on his street but according to some historians then they believed Walker was possibly poisioned or murdered. Today historians believe that David Walker died from a natural disease called tuberculosis. Walker was married to a women named Emily who people believed was fugitive slave herself, and gave birth to thier son Edward G. Walker. After  Walkers death, his son became the first black person to be elected in the Massachusetter state legislature.

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Did all black men agree about how to attain freedom?

Fredrick Douglass and David Walker became some of the most famous black abolitionists. Growing up, Fredrick Douglass was born into slavery and found a way to escape after years of abuse and hard work. David Walker was born a free man but from witnessing some of the most brutal acts on slaves he knew what was wrong and what was right. These men both came from families where slavery was present and they both struggled and fought to get there point across and in the end they did. Their hard work and dedication to help end slavery soon gave them a big turning point in their lives. David Walker writing Walker's Appeal and Fredrick Douglass becoming a famous conductor to the Underground Railroad helped the slaves to their freedom  that they all deserved. These two men lived a life that they knew was the best for them and a life that would bring them towards getting their freedom. Even though Douglass was captured the first time he escaped, he didn't give up or lose hope. David Walker even after writing Walker's Appeal and being wanted dead, he stood his ground and did what it took to get his point across.  Black men, not only these two famous black men, but every black person tried standing up for themselves and fighting for freedom.  They did not want to be held captive for their entire lives as slaves without the same rights as white people. They wanted the same rights as their owners because thier body and blood was building this country. The violence was not what they wanted, but if their needed to be violent to escape, if they needed to revolt against their owners, they would do so. All blacks wanted their freedom and in the end these two famous men agreed on how to attain freedom. 

Alyssa