Speaker or author: Burns, Anthony, 1834-1862
Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman
Anecdotal speech regarding one man's experience as a fugitive slave. The speech was given during a drive to raise money to purchase the speaker's freedom. (Includes MP3 audio file.)
Description of file(s): PDF 3 page, 857 word document (text and images)
Speaker or author: Morris, Emmanuel, waiter
Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman
Brief speech delivered by a black waiter during a meeting of "colored citizens of St. Catharines." The speaker stressed the prejudice and insults he and other hotel employees had suffered from both employers and customers.
Description of file(s): PDF 1 page, 158 word document (text and image)
Speaker or author: White, Jacob C., d. 1872
Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman
Brief speech given by a student from an African American high school to the governor of Pennsylvania as he made a tour of black schools in his state.
Description of file(s): PDF 2 page, 379 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: Cary, Mary Ann Shadd, 1823-1893
Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman
The speaker opened a debate on the merits of emigration to Canada by the free people of color. She emphasized the benefits of the climate, economy, opportunities in agriculture and property ownership, and the positive character of the Canadian people.
Description of file(s): PDF 7 page, 1,482 word document (text and images)
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Title: Provincial Freeman - 1858
Speaker or author: Cary, Mary Ann Shadd, 1823-1893
Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman (1853 - 1859)
[Copyright permission granted August 2007.] The writer tells her readers that the newspaper usually remains independent in its political reporting, but that there's a vast difference between being independent and being neutral. She expresses a brief opinion of the current political atmosphere in the U.S.
Description of file(s): three scanned, two columned, handwritten pages
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Title: Provincial Freeman - April 12, 1856
Speaker or author: editor
Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman (1853 - 1859)
The writer gives a brief overview of an unruly meeting he attended of the Dumas Literary Society.
Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page
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Title: Provincial Freeman - April 12, 1856
Speaker or author: editor
Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman (1853 - 1859)
The writer offers a brief overview of the settlement of Buxton and the 140 families living there.
Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page
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Title: Provincial Freeman - April 14, 1855
Speaker or author: editor
Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman (1853 - 1859)
The editor comments on the debate about whether or not to allow children in Canadian public schools to sing what are considered "Negro Songs."
Description of file(s): one scanned newspaper column
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Title: Provincial Freeman - April 14, 1855
Speaker or author: editor
Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman (1853 - 1859)
The writer laments the continued perception among the Canadian public that people of African descent are unable to care for themselves. The automatic assumption that these people must be clothed, fed, and sheltered is degrading to the race.
Description of file(s): two scanned, two columned, newspaper pages
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Title: Provincial Freeman - April 15, 1854
Speaker or author: editor
Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman (1853 - 1859)
The writer shares a portion of a published opinion by John Mitchell on the idea of immigration for people of African descent currently living in Canada and the U.S.
Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page (portion missing)
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Title: Provincial Freeman - April 15, 1854
Speaker or author: editor
Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman (1853 - 1859)
The writer gives an overview of Reverend Duff's lecture regarding his missionary work in India.
Description of file(s): one scanned newspaper column
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Title: Provincial Freeman - April 15, 1854
Speaker or author: editor
Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman (1853 - 1859)
The writer describes the Elgin Settlement established by Reverend William King. This Christian community offers a way for people of African descent to live together in peace, harmony and prosperity.
Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page
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Speaker or author: Cary, Mary Ann Shadd, 1823-1893
Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman (1853 - 1859)
The writer tells her readers that recently C. C. Foote of the Refugees Home Society has taken action to obtain property from two of the home's tenants.
Description of file(s): one scanned newspaper column
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Speaker or author: Cary, Mary Ann Shadd, 1823-1893
Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman (1853 - 1859)
The writer responds briefly to a letter the newspaper received from the Refugees Home. The letter indicates the humiliating treatment in the name of charity that C. C. Foote's is providing there. Fugitives arriving in Canada are looking for freedom and equality, not pity and handouts.
Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page
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Speaker or author: Cary, Mary Ann Shadd, 1823-1893
Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman (1853 - 1859)
From a source at the Refugee Home, the writer learns of a legal battle to obtain land for the Home from a deceased settler.
Description of file(s): one scanned newspaper column
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Speaker or author: editor
Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman (1853 - 1859)
The editor gives a brief announcement of the arrival of Miss Amelia Freeman, an artist who is visiting Chatham.
Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page
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Title: Provincial Freeman - April 21, 1855
Speaker or author: S.
Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman (1853 - 1859)
The writer comments on a letter regarding Canadian immigration of fugitive slaves written by Mr. Gaines, U.S. politician. He emphasizes the discrepancies in Mr. Gaines' thinking and political rhetoric.
Description of file(s): three scanned newspaper pages (five columns)
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Title: Provincial Freeman - April 22, 1854
Speaker or author: editor
Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman (1853 - 1859)
The editor offers an open letter to his readers explaining the criteria to use for submissions to the newspaper.
Description of file(s): one scanned newspaper column
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Title: Provincial Freeman - April 25, 1857
Speaker or author: Cary, Mary Ann Shadd, 1823-1893
Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman (1853 - 1859)
The writer tells her readers that what Canadian people of African descent really need is a good British education. What they don't need (or want) are the prejudices, slavery, charity, and politics of the United States.
Description of file(s): one scanned newspaper column
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Title: Provincial Freeman - April 25, 1857
Speaker or author: Cary, Mary Ann Shadd, 1823-1893
Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman (1853 - 1859)
The writer alerts her readers to the likely disposal of land by the Canadian government to speculators since most of it is under water. This action would remove those who have settled there in hopes of establishing a homestead.
Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page
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Title: Provincial Freeman - April 26, 1856
Speaker or author: editor
Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman (1853 - 1859)
The writer laments the fact that in order to escape the tyranny and injustice of the slave system in the United States, people are leaving the homes they love and immigrating to other countries.
Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page
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Title: Provincial Freeman - April 4, 1857
Speaker or author: S[hadd], I[saac] D.
Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman (1853 - 1859)
The writer discusses the current political climate in the U.S. and its effect on immigration to Canada.
Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page
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Title: Provincial Freeman - April 4, 1857
Speaker or author: Cary, Mary Ann Shadd, 1823-1893
Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman (1853 - 1859)
The writer briefly comments on recent activity in Canadian Parliament.
Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page
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Title: Provincial Freeman - April 4, 1857
Speaker or author: Cary, Mary Ann Shadd, 1823-1893
Newspaper or publication: Provincial Freeman (1853 - 1859)
The writer responds to those who believe that the refugees from slavery who are arriving in her area are needing of aid and in a dire state. The assumption that those of African descent living in Canada are needy and barely surviving is insulting.
Description of file(s): one scanned, two columned, newspaper page