John Brown and Martin Delaney role in abolishing slavery

John Brown and Martin Delaney role in abolishing slavery

History Paper

In the American pre-civil war period, slavery was prevalent in the U.S. African-Americans were the primary victims of slavery, while their White masters were the culprits. To curb slavery, several abolitionist movements were formed. Although bringing slavery to an end was not easy, some people fought the vice relentlessly. Some of how slavery was fought in America were conducting raids on slave-masters, writing articles on the evils of the practice, and advocating for change and termination of slavery. John Brown and Martin Delaney were some of the activists that played a significant role in ensuring that slavery was terminated in the country.

John Brown was an abolitionist who was born on 9^th May 1800 in Connecticut. His parents were Ruth Mills and Owen Brown. John was born at a time when slavery was at its peak (Editors). Brown joined abolitionist movements after the brutal murder of Elijah P. Lovejoy, who was an anti-slavery activist and a Presbyterian minister in 1837. He was aggressive towards people who perpetrated slavery activities and was against any government official who stood to support the action (Editors). Brown’s resolve to join anti-slavery movements was facilitated by his desire to create a black people free state. Lawrence, a pro-slavery activist, was attacked in 1856 in Kansas. The action prompted Brown, together with other activists, to mount a counter-attack on the Pottawatomie Rifles, which were pro-slavery settlers. The Pottawatomie massacre led to the assassination of five pro-slavery people.

People who were supportive of slavery in Kansas were unwilling to denounce the vice because they benefited from free labor offered by slaves (Togni). Contrary, John Brown did not relent from attacking pro-slave settlers and was therefore considered a legendary militant abolitionist. He traveled all over the country, obtaining weapons and raising money to fight slavery. By 1859, Brown met Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman, who were both abolitionists and activists (Togni). The two helped him to free slaves of forced labor through raiding areas where slavery was still in practice. Together with Tubman, Brown planned attacks on the U.S. Military and slaveholders by giving arms to freed slaves.

Brown gave military training to his sons Watson and Owen, and other twenty freed slaves to raid the Harper Ferry armory in Virginia to obtain weapons (Togni). The act of recruiting his sons in the war against slavery portrayed Brown’s passion and commitment. In 1859, John Brown led an operation to capture Lewis Washington, since he continued to own slaves despite warnings against the practice (Togni). Apart from the raids he mounted, Brown notified Washington authorities on slave smuggling activities taking place in the country.

Martin Robison Delany was born to a free mother and a slave father in Charles Town, Virginia, on 6^th May 1812. He served in the U.S. Army and was an African American abolitionist (Togni). In 1822, her mother took her to Pennsylvania to acquire education and to prevent his persecution and enslavement. He returned to the U.S. during the Civil War in 1861 (Togni). As a medical doctor and an army official, Delany had an influence that he later used in the fight against slavery.

Delany fought for freed people’s land, enforcement of civil rights for blacks, and black pride. He participated in Republican politics. His abolitionist activities were imminent in Pittsburgh when he indulged in relocating fugitive slaves with the help of the Vigilance Committee (Butler). He helped in forming the Moral Reform Society and the Young Men’s Literary. Together with the integrated militia, Delany defended slaves and the black community (Butler). Delany traveled to many places, such as Choctaw, Arkansas, and New Orleans. Delany used his literary knowledge to write articles on the Anti-slavery movement. His articles encountered significant criticism from people who felt the desire to continue with slavery activities.

As a black man, Delany was a victim of slavery. For instance, after his enrollment at the Harvard Medical College, he was forced to leave the college by White people in 1850 (Butler). In the 1950s, he made a trip to Nigeria intending to negotiate land for emigrants who were of African-American descent. Delany advocated for an African-American army where they would be members of the Union Army. At one point, he met with President Lincoln to advocate for the inclusion of African-Americans in official positions in the military (Butler). Although he supported their advancement and business, Delany would not endorse an African-American who was not fit to hold office.

Slavery was deeply rooted among Americans in the Pre-Civil War period. Therefore, fighting the practice required a lot of effort and determination. Several abolitionist and activist movements were formed by various people who believed that African-Americans deserved better treatment despite being in a foreign country. Martin Robison Delany and John brown were among legendary abolitionist who had significant impacts on ending slavery in America. John Brown used raids to get armory and free slaves from their masters. On the other hand, Delany used his official position in the military to advocate for the rights of African-Americans who were enslaved in the nation.

Works Cited

Butler, Gerry. “Martin Robison Delany (1812-1885).” Welcome to Blackpast, 8 June 2019, www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/delany-major-martin-robison-1812-1885/.

Editors, History. “John Brown.” HISTORY, 27 Nov. 2019, www.history.com/topics/abolitionist-movement/john-brown. Accessed 12 Feb. 2020.

Togni, Elisa D. “The Abolitionist’s John Brown.” American Battlefield Trust, 14 Feb. 2018, www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/abolitionists-john-brown. Accessed 12 Feb. 2020.