Something I wish had been made clearer to me in my early education, is that being an abolitionist didn't mean a person supported Black equality.
It's obvious now, but the way I was taught made every abolitionist sound like a supporter of equal rights, which is far from true.
It's obvious now, but the way I was taught made every abolitionist sound like a supporter of equal rights, which is far from true.
When I learned about abolition as a kid, I was taught that it was ppl fighting both to end slavery *and* make Black ppl equal members of society.
There were certainly some ppl like that, but there were also so many who wanted to end slavery *and* maintain a racial caste system.
There were certainly some ppl like that, but there were also so many who wanted to end slavery *and* maintain a racial caste system.
Just reading through old abolitionist letters & finding myself struck by how profoundly racist some of the ppl fighting to end slavery were.
It just reaffirms that ppl fighting to end the institution had many reasons they did so, and Black equality wasnt necessarily one of them.
It just reaffirms that ppl fighting to end the institution had many reasons they did so, and Black equality wasnt necessarily one of them.
