Black Abolitionist Papers –This primary source collection details the extensive work of African Americans to abolish slavery in the United States prior to the Civil War. Covering the period 1830-1865, the collection presents the international impact of African American activism against slavery, in the writings of the activists themselves. The approximately 15,000 articles, documents, correspondence, proceedings, manuscripts, and literary works of almost 300 Black abolitionists show the full range of their activities in the United States, Canada, England, Scotland, Ireland, France and Germany.
A team of scholars painstakingly identified African American activists through countless hours of research and scrutiny, bringing to light many names previously lost to history. Primary documents were gathered from over 100 libraries and archives across the world. The set was microfilmed and published in 1981 and quickly established a significant shift in historical scholarship regarding Black leadership, activism, and community life during this period. The collection remains an unequalled, “pristine record of Black abolitionism.”
What types of primary sources are in it?
Unique, hand-written correspondence and documents comprise around 30% of this collection. You’ll find:
- Correspondence of major African American leaders
- Speeches, sermons, and lectures
- Articles, essays, editorials, and other major writings from more than 200 newspapers
- Receipts, poems, and other miscellaneous documents
What topics are covered?
This collection contains easily accessible and vital content for researchers, teachers, and students in many disciplines with a focus on such topics as:
- Individual and community activism
- Political power of minority groups
- International social movements
- Black political action
- Black colonization and emigration
- Northern/Southern separatism within the church
- Church support of Black educational institutions
- Black intellectual and social life
- Controversies within the Black abolitionist community
- Racial relations within the larger abolitionist movement
If you need help navigating the platform, please contact us at the Research Assistance desk, ext. 2195 or chat with us!