Speaker or author: Beman, Amos Gerry, 1812-1874
Newspaper or publication: Emancipator
Excerpt of a speech delivered before the Congregational Church in Hartford, Connecticut and published in the Emancipator newspaper. The newspaper notes that: "Mr. B. endeavors successfully, in his address, to show, that the colored race may be elevated in this country, in respect to property, intelligence, and moral worth; which he declares are the elements of true happiness and prosperity. Having concluded his argument, he makes an eloquent and earnest appeal to his hearers, to inspire them with resolution to overcome the obstacles in the way of their elevation." (Includes MP3 audio file.)
Description of file(s): PDF 3 page, 657 word document (text and images)
Speaker or author: Beman, Amos Gerry, 1812-1874
Newspaper or publication: Colored American (1837 - 1842)
Speech regarding the principles, goals and value of the New York Committee of Vigilance in its assistance to people of color.
Description of file(s): PDF 11 page, 2,773 word document (text and images)
Speaker or author: Beman, Amos Gerry, 1812-1874
Newspaper or publication: North Star
Brief speech expressing the speaker's outrage at the defeat of African American suffrage in Connecticut. The speaker blamed the defeat on Irish voters. (Includes MP3 audio file.)
Description of file(s): PDF 1 page, 228 word document (text and image)
Speaker or author: Beman, Jehiel C.
Newspaper or publication: Emancipator
Speech given during the celebration of the August 1st anniversary of the emancipation of the British West Indies, with emphasis placed on the continued slavery of millions of human beings in the U.S. (Includes MP3 audio file.)
Description of file(s): PDF 1 page, 254 word document (text and images)
Speaker or author: Gibbs, Jonathan C. (Jonathan Clarkson), 1831-1874
Newspaper or publication: Presscopy -- Presbyterian Historical Society -- Pamphlets
Lengthy sermon discussing the place of the African American in the ministry. The speaker emphasized the dedication and determination required to answer a divine calling to preach the gospel.
Description of file(s): PDF 19 page, 7,725 word document (text and images)
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Speaker or author: Gibbs, Jonathan C. (Jonathan Clarkson), 1831-1874
Newspaper or publication: Weekly Anglo-African (1859 - 1862)
Brief overview of a lecture on Geology given at the Institute for Colored Youth.
Description of file(s): PDF 2 page, 279 word document (text and images)
Speaker or author: Grimes, Leonard A., 1815-1874
Newspaper or publication: Liberator
Brief speech in which the speaker urged all African American men in New England to take up arms against the Confederacy since they had now been given the opportunity to do so. He reminded his listeners that they had offered to help fight the war in the past and had been refused. Now was the time to prove themselves worthy of the opportunity to fight that the government was giving to them.
Description of file(s): PDF 1 page, 288 word document (text and image)
Speaker or author: Grimes, Leonard A., 1815-1874
Newspaper or publication: National Anti-Slavery Standard
Speech relating the efforts of the speaker to buy the fugitive slave Anthony Burns from his master.
Description of file(s): PDF 2 page, 381 word document (text and images)
Speaker or author: Grimes, Leonard A., 1815-1874
Newspaper or publication: National Anti-Slavery Standard
Brief overview of speech encouraging African Americans to join the Union army and fight for the cause of freedom now that they had been given the opportunity to do so.
Description of file(s): PDF 1 page, 249 word document (text and images)
Speaker or author: Clarke, Lewis Garrard, 1812-1897
Newspaper or publication: Signal of Liberty
Narrative about one man's experience as a slave in Kentucky.
Description of file(s): PDF 5 page, 1,511 word document (text and images)
Speaker or author: Delany, Martin Robison, 1812-1885
Newspaper or publication: Presscopy -- Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tennessee -- Ullman Papers
Eulogy on the life and history of the Reverend Fayette Davis. The speaker traces Rev. Davis' life from Virginia where he was born free, through his childhood in Kentucky (a slave state where his opportunities were limited), his marriage, his career choice as a member of the clergy, and finally his early death.
Description of file(s): PDF 12 page, 3,286 word document (text and images)
Speaker or author: Delany, Martin Robison, 1812-1885
Newspaper or publication: North Star
Brief account of a speech regarding the way Church ministers seemed to be encouraging slavery and considering it a "Divine" institution, thus condoning its continuation.
Description of file(s): PDF 3 page, 679 word document (text and images)
Speaker or author: Delany, Martin Robison, 1812-1885
Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman
Lengthy speech detailing the various ways states were dealing with racial issues. The speaker also touched on issues of colonization and amelioration.
Description of file(s): PDF 19 pages, 4,424 word document (text and images)
Speaker or author: Delany, Martin Robison, 1812-1885
Newspaper or publication: Chatham Tri-Weekly Planet (with portions taken from the Chatham Weekly Planet)
The speaker gave an account of his recent explorations in Liberia including geological and geographical information. He also stressed the kindness, curiosity and willingness to learn of the people he encountered in Africa.
Description of file(s): PDF 3 page, 630 word document (text and images)
Speaker or author: Delany, Martin Robison, 1812-1885
Newspaper or publication: Weekly Anglo-African (1859 - 1862)
Brief lecture on Africa in which the speaker notes that he is not attempting to get people to immigrate to Africa, but simply providing information regarding what to expect there.
Description of file(s): PDF 1 page, 147 word document (text and image)
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Speaker or author: Delany, Martin Robison, 1812-1885
Newspaper or publication: Leeds Mercury
Overview of a speech delivered when responding to a question regarding his motivation for exploring Africa. The speaker said he was searching for a suitable place for the immigration of free African Americans.
Description of file(s): PDF 1 page, 496 word document (text and image)
Speaker or author: Delany, Martin Robison, 1812-1885
Newspaper or publication: Liberator
Detailed account of some of the customs and culture of the people of Africa who the speaker had studied during his explorations of that country.
Description of file(s): PDF 6 page, 1,445 word document (text and images)
Speaker or author: Delany, Martin Robison, 1812-1885
Newspaper or publication: Patriot
The speaker expressed his idea that the colonization of Liberia had failed because the promoters of the initiative lacked organization and planning. The focus was on the number of people that could be gathered to immigrate without any thought to what they would do once they got to Liberia. He advised asking the immigrants to pay their own way, and making the project a purely secular one.
Description of file(s): PDF 1 page, 206 word document (text and image)
Speaker or author: Randolph, Paschal Beverly, 1825-1874
Newspaper or publication: Presscopy -- Boston Athenaeum -- Pamphlet Collection
Impassioned speech urging patience, persistence, and patriotism as the Civil War continued. The speaker emphasized to his audience that liberty and justice would prevail.
Description of file(s): PDF 3 page, 886 word document (text and images)
Speaker or author: Nell, William C. (William Cooper), 1816-1874.
Newspaper or publication: Liberator
Speech given in response to a speech by Daniel Webster in which he called for the surrender of fugitive slaves and encouraged the colonization of Africa by "nominally free" African Americans living in the north.
Description of file(s): PDF 3 page, 756 word document (text and images)
Speaker or author: Nell, William C. (William Cooper), 1816-1874.
Newspaper or publication: National Anti-Slavery Standard
Speech encouraging education and emphasizing the benefits of knowledge as a way toward the social and moral improvement in the lives of the free people of color. The speaker also encouraged the development of societies which would unite people and help them realize these goals.
Description of file(s): PDF 3 page, 865 word document (text and images)
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Speaker or author: Nell, William C. (William Cooper), 1816-1874.
Newspaper or publication: National Anti-Slavery Standard
Brief speech denouncing colonization and the Fugitive Slave Law. The speaker noted that in the state of New York "...professor's chairs are filled by coloured men, who dispense the dew-drops of knowledge to a majority of white pupils; and, strange as it may sound to Colonisation ears, neither teachers or scholars are contaminated by the association."
Description of file(s): PDF 1 page, 158 word document (text and image)
Speaker or author: Nell, William C. (William Cooper), 1816-1874.
Newspaper or publication: Liberator
Speech given during the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society. The speaker emphasized the great work and efforts the society has realized over the years.
Description of file(s): PDF 2 page, 489 word document (text and images)
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Speaker or author: Nell, William C. (William Cooper), 1816-1874.
Newspaper or publication: Liberator
Speech delivered to welcome home William Wells Brown who returned from England a free man after being rescued from slavery and fugitive status by "British philanthropy."
Description of file(s): PDF 2 page, 570 word document (text and images)
Speaker or author: Nell, William C. (William Cooper), 1816-1874.
Newspaper or publication: National Anti-Slavery Standard
Speech delivered during the acceptance of a gold watch presented to the speaker in honor of his work for equal rights in education. The speaker included his own experiences with the color barrier in education along with the stories of others who had fought for equal educational rights.
Description of file(s): PDF 10 page, 3,079 word document (text and images)