Reaction David Walker (abolitionist)

1 reaction

1.1 efforts prevent distribution
1.2 immediate significance
1.3 lasting influence

reaction
efforts prevent distribution

southern officials worked prevent appeal reaching residents. blacks in charleston , new orleans arrested distributing pamphlet while authorities in savannah, georgia instituted ban on disembarkation of black seamen. various southern governmental bodies, meanwhile, labeled appeal seditious , imposed harsh penalties on circulated it. despite such efforts, walker s pamphlet widespread 1830. having failed contain appeal, southern officials criticized both pamphlet , author. newspapers richmond enquirer railed against called walker’s “monstrous slander” of region. outrage on appeal led georgia announce award of $10,000 hand on walker alive, , $1,000 kill him.

immediate significance

walker s appeal did not gain favor of abolitionists or free blacks because message considered radical.

that said, handful of white antislavery advocates radicalized pamphlet. boston evening transcript noted in 1830 blacks regarded appeal if star in east guiding them freedom , emancipation.” white southerners fears black-led challenge slavery—fears appeal stoked—came pass year later in nat turner rebellion, inspired them adopt harsher laws in attempt subdue , control slaves , free blacks.

william lloyd garrison, 1 of influential american abolitionists, began publishing liberator in january 1831 not long after appeal published. weekly editions of garrison s newspaper, in fact, largely focused on walker s pamphlet. garrison, believed slaveowners punished god, rejected violence walker advocated recognized slaveowners courting disaster refusing free slaves. every sentence write — every word speak — every resistance make, against foreign oppression, call upon slaves destroy them, garrison wrote.

walker s appeal , slave rebellion led nat turner in virginia in 1831 struck fear hearts of slaveowners. though there no evidence suggest appeal informed or inspired turner, 2 events, occurred few years apart, intensified white anxiety in south potential future insurrections. southern states passed laws restricting free blacks , slaves. moreover, many white people in virginia , neighboring north carolina speculated turner may have been influenced walker s appeal or other abolitionist literature.

lasting influence

the spirit of walker lives on. henry highland garnet, frederick douglass, w.e.b. du bois, martin luther king, jr., malcolm x, number of liberation theologians , many others have respectfully followed in david walker’s footsteps. echoes of walker’s appeal can heard vividly, example, in frederick douglass’ famous 1852 speech, meaning of fourth of july negro.

historian herbert aptheker has noted that

“walker’s appeal first sustained written assault upon slavery , racism come black man in united states. main source of overwhelming power in own time; source of great relevance , enormous impact remain in it, deep in twentieth century. never before or since there more passionate denunciation of hypocrisy of nation whole — democratic , fraternal , equalitarian , other words. , walker not 1 hates country rather 1 hates institutions disfigure , make hissing in world.”