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Subtitle: Rail Road Abuse.

Title: Colored American - June 19, 1841

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Colored American (1837 - 1842)

The writer shares the recent story of an African American man who was ordered out of a first class railroad car even though he had paid for his seat there.

Description of file(s): one scanned newspaper column

Subtitle: Railroads.

Title: Colored American - September 26, 1840

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Colored American (1837 - 1842)

The writer calls attention to the convenience and effeciency of railroad transportation. He emphasizes how railroads are facilitating the escape of fugitive slaves.

Description of file(s): one scanned newspaper column

Title: Edward Scott

Speaker or author: Scott, Edward, fl. 1857

Newspaper or publication: Christian News

Speech relating how southern slave owners use religion to encourage slaves to obey their masters. Religion was used as a means to justify cruelty for the slaveholder. The speaker related his own personal story of his life as a slave and his subsequent escape.

Description of file(s): PDF 3 page, 674 word document (text and images)

Subtitle: The Car Cases.

Title: Elevator - April 7, 1865

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Elevator (1865 - 18??)

The writer comments on an article in the Alta newspaper regarding an incident that points to the continued refusal by some railroad companies to accept African American passengers.

Description of file(s): one scanned newspaper column

Subtitle: The Convention.

Title: Elevator - August 4, 1865

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Elevator (1865 - 18??)

The writer offers various reasons why a convention is in order for African Americans. The questions of suffrage, education, and restricting laws offer reason enough, but a convention is also a way of uniting people in a common cause.

Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page

Subtitle: The Pacific Railroad.

Title: Elevator - July 21, 1865

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Elevator (1865 - 18??)

The writer addresses the question of who will be employed to finish building the railroad. He expresses his prejudice towards the idea of hiring Chinese immigrants. He suggests instead to employee newly emancipated slaves.

Description of file(s): two scanned, two columned, newspaper pages

Subtitle: Freedmen in California.

Title: Elevator - October 20, 1865

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Elevator (1865 - 18??)

The writer tells his readers about job opportunities for newly freed slaves in California. He suggests that the railroad could offer jobs for many freed men.

Description of file(s): one scanned newspaper column

Subtitle: Recollections, etc.

Title: Elevator - September 29, 1865

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Elevator (1865 - 18??)

The writer adds his personal memories to a series the newspaper is publishing regarding the Underground Railroad.

Description of file(s): one scanned newspaper column

Subtitle: "What have the Abolitionists done?"

Title: Frederick Douglass' Paper - December 8, 1854

Speaker or author: Watkins, William J.

Newspaper or publication: Frederick Douglass' Paper (1851 - 18??)

The writer continues his answer to the question "What have the Abolitionists done?" that he began in a previous issue. He explains that abolitionists have kept the focus on the issue of slavery by agitation, speeches, aid to fugitives, and an untiring devotion to the cause of freedom. The have suffered imprisonment, shame, and personal attacks for what they believe is right.

Description of file(s): three scanned newspaper pages (five columns)

Title: Henry Bibb

Speaker or author: Bibb, Henry, b. 1815

Newspaper or publication: National Anti-Slavery Standard

Speech against the plans and goals of the American Colonization Society. The speaker suggested Canada as an alternate choice for colonization.

Description of file(s): PDF 7 page, 2,371 word document (text and images)

Title: Henry Bibb

Speaker or author: Bibb, Henry, b. 1815

Newspaper or publication: Emancipator

Speech welcoming escaping slaves who had crossed into Canada from Detroit with the help of the Underground Railroad. (Includes MP3 audio file.)

Description of file(s): PDF 2 page, 325 word document (text and images)

Title: James McCune Smith

Speaker or author: Smith, James McCune, 1813-1865

Newspaper or publication: Weekly Anglo-African (1859 - 1862)

Speech denouncing the words and political actions of Charles O'Conor in his opposition of emancipation. The speaker noted that O'Conor had said that "...slavery is 'ordained by nature' and is 'an institution created by nature itself,' which 'carries with it duties for the black man and duties for the white, which duties cannot be performed except by the preservation and perpetuation of the system;' ..."

Description of file(s): PDF 3 page, 782 word document (text and images)

Title: Jermain Wesley Loguen

Speaker or author: Loguen, Jermain Wesley

Newspaper or publication: Liberator

Overview of a brief speech in which the speaker called for action to end slavery. He told his audience the action he was taking was to become a "conductor" on the underground railroad.

Description of file(s): PDF 1 page, 195 word document (text and image)

Subtitle: Not so Insignificant.

Title: Pacific Appeal - February 13, 1864

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Pacific Appeal (1862 - 188?)

The writer re-visits the topic of the current economic problems of the city railroad companies. He emphasizes that by excluding African Americans from utilizing this form of public transportation, these companies are creating their own financial problems.

Description of file(s): one scanned newspaper column

Subtitle: Dreaming of the Negro.

Title: Pacific Appeal - May 23, 1863

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Pacific Appeal (1862 - 188?)

The writer comments on a recent election. His also shares the contents of a placard that was posted around town attempting to encourage public outrage regarding the governor's plan to bring recently freed slaves to California to build roads.

Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page

Subtitle: The City Railroad Cars.

Title: Pacific Appeal - May 9, 1863

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Pacific Appeal (1862 - 188?)

The writer comments on the rampant discrimination that is taking place with public transportation. He emphasizes that African American women are often the helpless targets of this as they attempt to ride the public trains.

Description of file(s): one scanned newspaper column

Subtitle: Litigation.

Title: Pacific Appeal - November 21, 1863

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Pacific Appeal (1862 - 188?)

The writer provides commentary on a legal suit brought against the Omnibus Railroad Company by an African American woman who was refused to a seat because of her race. She won the case; and the writer encourages others to take this type of action in similar situations.

Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper column

Subtitle: An Excursion Trip on the San Jose Railroad.

Title: Pacific Appeal - November 7, 1863

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Pacific Appeal (1862 - 188?)

The writer provides an overview of his recent railroad trip to Menlo Park. He received a free ticket to experience this ride which he enjoyed very much. He urges people to purchase land in this area as he sees a bright future there.

Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page

Subtitle: Homesteads.

Title: Pacific Appeal - September 20, 1862

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Pacific Appeal (1862 - 188?)

The writer encourages his readers to establish a homestead in California. The end of the war will bring changes to the country and this is a good time for African Americans to ensure land and a permanent home where employment will be available.

Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page

Title: Provincial Freeman - August 29, 1855

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman (1853 - 1859)

Brief note mentioning that each day more and more fugitives are arriving in Canada via the Underground Railroad.

Description of file(s): one scanned newspaper column

Subtitle: Canadian Towns.

Title: Provincial Freeman - January 26, 1856

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman (1853 - 1859)

The editor gives an overview of the growth of towns in Western Canada focusing mostly on Amerstburg.

Description of file(s): two scanned, two columned, newspaper pages

Subtitle: Arrivals.

Title: Provincial Freeman - July 26, 1856

Speaker or author: S[hadd], I[saac] D.

Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman (1853 - 1859)

The writer discusses the effect of the Fugitive Slave Law on the increased number of people arriving in Canada in hopes of finding the freedom they were being denied in the U.S.

Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page

Subtitle: Aiding Slaves to Escape.

Title: Provincial Freeman - June 30, 1855

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman (1853 - 1859)

The writer briefly comments on the status of the Underground Railroad. He suggests a couple of ways to improve this system.

Description of file(s): one scanned newspaper column

Title: Provincial Freeman - June 9, 1855

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman (1853 - 1859)

The writer notes with pride the position Canadian cities play in the transportation of pork from the Western part of the U.S. to the Eastern states.

Description of file(s): one scanned newspaper column

Subtitle: Even-Handed Justice.

Title: Provincial Freeman - May 13, 1854

Speaker or author: editor

Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman (1853 - 1859)

The writer comments on a recent story published in local newspapers telling readers that 30 African Americans traveling through Kentucky on their way to Liberia were given free transportation. He believes this is just another ploy to encourage Colonization.

Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page

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