Digital History
Digital History: Radical Reform and Antislavery
Find a comprehensive history of the anti-slavery movement and how it fit into the larger reform movements of the first half of the 19th century.
British Library
British Library: Discovering Literature: Abolition of the Slave Trade and Slavery in Britain
Towards the end of the 18th century, a movement emerged calling for an end to the slave trade and, later, slavery itself. This article traces the road to abolition from the 1780s to the 1830s, highlighting the impacts of grass-root...
Other
Personal Site: Biography of Anthony Benezet
A short but good biography of the famous Quaker abolitionist who established a school for slaves in Philadelphia in 1770. He wrote a pamphlet in 1772 which led to the establishment of the anti-slave trade movement in England.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Emancipation: Abolition
Speeches, songs, letters, and pamphlets from the early- and mid-nineteenth century promoting the abolition of slavery and emancipation of enslaved peoples are provided within this resource.
Columbia University
Columbia University: Columbia University & Slavery 8. Columbia and Colonization
This website was created by faculty, students, and staff to publicly present information about Columbia's historical connections to the institution of slavery. Columbians played a prominent role in the New York Auxiliary Colonization...
Columbia University
Columbia University:columbia University & Slavery 6.columbians & the Manumission
This website was created by faculty, students, and staff to publicly present information about Columbia's historical connections to the institution of slavery. This article explains the role Columbian's played in the Manumission Society...
Other
Dictionary of Unitarian and Universalist Biography: Maria Weston Chapman
Here is good biography about the life of Maria Chapman and her sisters. Read detailed information concerning their involvement in the abolitionist movement.
Curated OER
National Park Service: The Life of Frederick Douglass
Brief biography of Frederick Douglass with links to pictures and short biographies of his wife and children.
Emory University
Lewis H. Beck Center: Lydia Maria Child: Anecdote of Elias Hicks
Here, read the full text of Lydia Child's "Anecdote of Elias Hicks," which tells the story of an abolitionist Quaker. It was originally published in 1839.
Other
Frederick Douglass Comes to Life: A Short Biography of Frederick Douglass
In addition to providing a brief biography, this website includes pictures of Frederick Douglass as well as links to speeches and important quotes.
Library of Congress
Loc: From Slavery to Civil Rights
This interactive timeline lets students select an era in the history of blacks in United States. Text tells the highlights of the time and primary source materials are linked that pertain as well.
Library of Congress
Loc: African American Odyssey: Abolition, Anti Slavery Movements
This site provides primary source documents and commentary that give an overall look at many different aspects of abolition, the antislavery movement, and the rise of division between North and South. From the Library of Congress.
Other
American Abolitionism Project: A Brief History of American Abolitionist Movement
Provides a short history of the American abolitionist movement, and breaks the movement down into different categories of abolitionists and some key people involved in each group. Includes links to additional information.
PBS
Wnet: Thirteen: Freedom: A History of Us: Wake Up, America!
This resource covers the changing of America due to the Industrial Revolution which brought in not only new technology but also opened the door to reform movements. From the series by Joy Hakim, "A History of Us." Includes a teacher's...
US Senate
Historical Minutes: Gag Rule: March 16, 1836
A look at how the Senate in 1836 imposed a gag rule on petitions that advocated the abolition of slavery. Information is from "Arguing about Slavery" by William Lee Miller.
Emory University
Lewis H. Beck Center: Child, Lydia Maria: Charity Bowery
Download and read Lydia Maria Child's "Charity Bowery," originally written in 1839, which tells the story of a freed slave's choices as she is allowed to take only one of her children out of slavery.
Other
Alton, Illinois: Elijah Parish Lovejoy
Biography on minister, journalist, and anti-slavery spokesperson Elijah Lovejoy, who was killed by a mob when he was 34. This well written bio focuses on the events on the night of his death.
Digital History
Digital History: Pre Civil War Reform: Introduction
A good introduction to the topic of reform movements in Pre-Civil War America. What were the reasons that encouraged reform of many social ills?
PBS
Africans in America: Founding of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society
A detailed account of the founding of the first Quaker abolitionist society in 1775 in Philadelphia by Anthony Benezet. The society became known as "PAS" or "Pennsylvania Abolition Society".
Understanding Slavery Initiative
Understanding Slavery Initiative: The Campaign for Abolition
Learn how the anti-slavery movement mobilized the British population to stage the campaign for the abolition of slave trade.
National Women's Hall of Fame
National Women's Hall of Fame: Sara Grimke
Read about the life and accomplishments of abolitionists Angelina Grimke and Sarah Grimke, important political figures in the anti-slavery movement.
Lumen Learning
Lumen: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave
This is the text and audio of the autobiography Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass. This 1845 memoir and treatise on abolition encompasses eleven chapters that recount Douglass' life as a...
Other
New York History Net: The Gerrit Smith Virtual Museum
Find a biography and primary source documents about Gerrit Smith, who was a leader of anti-slavery activities in Syracuse, and nationally. He converted Frederick Douglass to political abolitionism and helped to finance his work.