Abolition of African American Slavery - Essay Example

Abolition of African American Slavery African American history mainly focuses on Black Americans as an ethnic group in America. The antislavery movement got a stronger force and support from the Northern America led by Frederick Douglass. Other white supporters that promoted the fight against slavery and discrimination included Harriet Stowe and William Garrison. Various ideologies were also stated in condemning slavery by terming it as a sin and an outdated way of living. The whites were expected to resolve the issue and accommodate the blacks as full members of the American society. Slavery was also associated with denying the blacks various rights like voting, access to various products and services, and access to justice through legal procedures. The blacks strongly fought for their liberation by mainly forming antislavery movements. There are different versions and sectors of the history with the strong belief being that African Americans are the descendants of those that were captured for slavery in America. The educated and elite blacks deserved equal rights of citizenship since they could contribute to the growth of the country. The blacks also used various political and judicial platforms to advocate and fight for this right of citizenship. Also, the tireless efforts of the blacks and the abolitionists played a key role in structuring and supporting the black freedom. When the non-violent strategies that were used by the abolitionists failed, those that were enslaved and those that were free considered the use of radical actions (Biesta 37). They included the use of physical confrontation. All the methods that were used in the fight brought different success, but the most effective method was slave narratives. The use of the tactic challenged the white readers to embrace abolitionism as a worthy cause. This made the topic trend in social and in political circles. The joint movement and fighting spirit finally gave the blacks space in the American matters like education and recognition. Since 1864, the blacks used the National Black Convention Movement to fight for their right to vote and full representation in the American affairs. One aspect of the history is abolition. In the history of Black Americans, there was the formation of the abolitionist movement. The aim of the group was to allow emancipation of all slaves after racial discrimination and segregation. Advocating for immediate emulsification made the difference between moderate antislavery advocates and abolitionists. Abolitions due to race were mainly encouraged by regional favor during second great awakening. This activity prompted many people to advocate for emancipation with the consideration of their religion. The idea on abolishment became prominent in other churches and political beginnings in the start of 1830s. This mainly contributed to the division of the region to the north and south and fueled the occurrence of the cold war (Brown 202). During different years, there was an attempt by the abolished movement to achieve the immediate emancipation of all slaves and brought an end to racial discrimination and segregation. Various notable black icons like Lincoln played a central role in bridging the gap between the blacks and the whites that helped reduce the issue of slavery and discrimination. He pushed for the inclusion of educated soldiers and other blacks Americans into vital pillars of the nation-building aspects of the country. The need to achieve the goals then brought the distinction between abolitionists from the political opposition and raised more issues that lead to civil war. The feeling of alpinists has been strong during the evolution of America where it did not turn into a military crusade until in the 1830s. Through stressing to hold moral imperative to stop sinful practices, it is the responsibility of one to hold on the good in the society (Hinderer 156). The effort that was put in the nineteenth century proved to be effective. The attention by those that were involved in abolition was slavery, and this made it difficult to be ignored. The abolitionists reduced the rift that was between people and the nation as early as the Constitutional Convention. In the century, there was unity among different abolitionists to form different antislavery societies (Wood 20). The factors that lead to abolition were taken and analyzed by the antislavery groups so that the best solution could be obtained. There was working together between white and black abolitionists until in the 1840s when the two groups differed in the method they used and the philosophy. African abolitionist tactics Different strategies and tactics were employed by abolitionists to the struggle of freedom. Apart from using the strategy of suing for freedom in courts, there was also the use of array tools to claim equality and challenge equality. Abolitionists like George Luther recruited black leaders like Henry Garnet and taught them on ways to liberate the Blacks. Surprisingly, the majority of the black Union soldiers were former slaves, and this gave them a stronger take on the issue at hand. They have the liberation movements a fighting spirit that pushed the battle to a crucial stage for the good of the black minority group. To address the issue of slavery, the blacks chose to use force since their grievances could not be heard. It was also hard for the whites to recognize the blacks as full members of the society and this was seen in the various mistreatments like the issue of slavery. Black Americans have been known by different names (Wood 20). The history of this group of people is celebrated in the country every year. The non-violent tools that they used such as petitions, speeches, and protests made the abolishment claim a high ground indeed, and words, and there was the definition of civil war and revolution. Anti-slavery activists Freed slaves also played a vital role in assisting those still in the bondage of forced labor and educating the black minority group. The blacks had various issues that they needed to be addressed, and this was their push for the struggle. Antislavery Northern also participated in liberating the slaves by giving force to the antislavery movements. The use of the Underground Railroad also helped spread the news of antislavery to the North. The move gave the slaves a stronger force that called for the support from the North and partially from the antislavery groups. There were different arguments between different activists concerning slavery. The first argument that can be considered is the argument of Christians against slavery. Christians argued that slavery was a notorious sin. There was a plea by Christians that there is the abolition of slave trade. They argued that when there was no purchase of slaves, there would be no trade. They used the Bible verse that stated one should do to the others act that he or she expects to be done to him. This motto helped them fight against the act. Christians thought that the use of only emancipation would not help solve the problem, but there still will be the case of slavery. There was the opening of schools by some of the Christians to help solve the issue and prepare children for more productive lives (Brown 203). There occurred a conflict between Christianity in the abolition. In the abolition, Christians used the golden rule and natural arguments of the evolutionary error so that they could justify the abolition of slavery. Christian representatives thought that slavery was an issue that could only be solved through vigilant efforts in the next five years. Once the efforts that were made by colonists were defeated, there were increased actions by movements to fight against slavery. When the Constitution of United States was written, there was no specification made on slavery. The constitution is however prohibited the importation of slaves. The factors that lead to abolition were taken and analyzed by the antislavery groups so that the best solution could be obtained. The movements like Free African Americans worked together with white abolitionists to spread the word and bring to the attention of more people to fight slavery (Brown 203). There was the development of publications, and they contributed money to enable the activities of the abolitionist. There were also individuals that dedicated their lives and the resources that they had in freeing those that were in bondage. Abolitionist movement The movement was started in the USA to end slavery in the country and bring freedom that those that formed the movement believed in. The formation of the movement emerged in the early 1830s because of religion revivals. Christianity led to the view of slavery to come due to personal sin. The movement then emerged to demand emancipation as a price of repentance. Those that formed the movement had the knowledge that slavery received moral support from racial prejudice, and they pushed to overturn the nation (Biesta 38). During the period, abolitionists tried the tactic of reaching and converting a mass audience. The foundation attracted many people with wide variety of printed materials, petition drives, and lecturing agents. The groups started condemning slavery on a moral ground, and this made the abolitionists pursue immediate emancipation through suasion strategies. The movement used different strategies where individual stakeholders and religious institutions came out to fight slavery. Those that became more important in the campaign and the movement were African-American activists. Some of the activists had a long history of opposition to the colonization movement and to racial discrimination that occurred much in the north (Hinderer 156). Some of the individuals gave out antislavery testimonies, but there was the encounter of patronizing attitudes from the other white activists. Several women were brave to participate in the abolitionist campaign. The women were encouraged much by the religious republican ideology and the religious principles that they had. Like the other counterparts, they fought hard slavery. Some women ended up forming other movements and societies to fight slavery. Different abolitionists in the fight against slavery Garrisonians were involved in the fight against slavery after there was a rejection of the antislavery program that had been formed. There was then need to reconsider the moral suasion strategy that the movement had. There was a change in the views. Those that followed religion in the fight against slavery abandoned the churches as they developed the belief that the churches had been corrupted by slavery. Garrisonians also convinced those that were in the north to reconsider the moral suasion tactic that they had. They also convinced the people to refuse to vote as a way to show that they were not happy with the constitution (Wood 20). Garrisonians also made other changes including the extension of women rights and pacifism. Under the control of Garrisonians, the commission that was involved in fighting slavery committed itself to political practices that did not provide resistance and those that advocated the movement. Many abolitionists that were not Garrisonians regrouped themselves into a religious abolitionist. They continued with the lobbying of religious institutions, and they gained valuable allies during the time. The abolitionists are mainly used churches and missionaries to fight slavery (Hinderer 155). Despite the worth that they had in the 1850s, the organizations remained to be a minority in the view of churches, and there was only a handful of blacks received equal treatments. There was involvement of political abolitionists. While there was a group of Garrisonians that focused on the reformation of churches, others focused more on political reforms to fight slavery. In the 1830s, there was petitioning of legislation by abolitionists that led to the interrogation of political legislation on issues that were related to slavery. When there was the candidate that expressed sentiments in the fight against slavery, there was a protest that the candidate received from the abolitionists. In the case when the government did not reply to the petitions that were filed, the abolitionists that were politically minded formed a party that was against slavery in 1840. The party had the main goal of pursuing emancipation through partisan politics (Brown 201). Some of the political activists wanted to include economic considerations in the arguments that they had concerning slavery. There was condemnation that was given to any political activity that made any legality to slave trade. Those that were not fighting slavery were reluctant in supporting the party, as it was not in line with the activities that they had and the arguments they had. Militant and Radical abolitionists were also concerned much with the resistant to the act that was put into slavery. This enables the production of more strain of abolitionism. There was the coming together between the young abolitionists with black abolitionist in blocking the version of fugitive slavery in the north. The strategies that they developed led to the recruitment of many antislavery settlers in the north (Biesta 35). Many of the political abolitionists did not want to use the violent tactics, and this made them remain contented to work with the antislavery parties in the region. The strategies that they used were successful and by 1860, different groups that were taking part in the fight against slavery managed to elect Abraham Lincoln to enable more fight against slavery. Conclusion In conclusion, the war against slavery and the freedom of the minority of the Blacks was fought from all angles. Black activists gave much attention to the search for a political platform where they could air their concerns to the White rulers. Slavery was even compounded by other issues besides forced labor, and this created a wider gap between the Blacks and the Whites. The blacks could feel segregated on important matters, and this created a form of hatred and divisions in America. From the arguments, there was a collaboration between blacks and whites to fight slavery. There was working together between white and black abolitionists until in the 1840s when the two groups differed in the method they used and the philosophy. Works cited Biesta, Gert. "A new logic of emancipation: The methodology of Jacques Rancière." Educational Theory 60.1 (2010): 39-59. Brown, Tommy. "The Fire of Freedom: Abraham Galloway and the Slaves Civil War by David S. Cecelski (review)." Alabama Review 67.2 (2014): 201-203. Hinderer, Moira. "First Fruits of Freedom: The Migration of Former Slaves and Their Search for Equality in Worcester, Massachusetts, 1862–1900." Labor 8.2 (2011): 155-156. Wood, Marcus. "The Horrible Gift of Freedom: Atlantic Slavery and the Representation of Emancipation." African Diaspora Archaeology Newsletter 13.1 (2010): 20. Read More