Summary
In the mid-1800s, white leaders were left to handle the effects of Jefferson’s America. Boston was immersed in the industrial revolution, which depended directly on the production of cotton using slaves in the South. Meanwhile, other leaders continued to promote Jefferson’s idea of sending slaves back to Africa to “civilize” the continent. During this time, William Lloyd Garrison and David Walker emerged as two antiracist thinkers. Although Walker died of tuberculosis at a young age, Garrison was deeply inspired by his pamphlet, An Appeal to the Coloured Citizens of the World.
Garrison began writing and spreading Walker’s ideas through the publication of his newspaper, the Liberator. This paper relaunched the abolitionist movement among white people, and Garrison advocated for immediate abolition. Although Garrison wanted slaves to be freed immediately, he was also an advocate for “gradual equality” in order to protect white society from black “intimidators.” However, Garrison was later influenced by Nat Turner and radicalized his own views. Garrison founded the American Anti-Slavery Society and published antislavery pamphlets that were widely distributed across the United States.
The growth of abolitionist thought was met with a racist reaction. For example, anthropologist Samuel Morton argued that white people had larger skulls than black people and therefore were innately more intelligent. In 1844, John C. Calhoun fought for Texas to become a slave state. However, he was met with opposition from Garrison and Frederick Douglass. Frederick Douglass published a first-hand account of his experiences as a runaway slave, and he later went to Great Britain to flee from prosecution in America.
Douglass’s story prompted other slaves to write about their experiences. The Narrative of Sojourner Truth was one of the first accounts that described what it was like to be a woman slave. Sojourner Truth’s account inspired Harriet Beecher Stowe, a white woman, to write Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Despite its patronizing dehumanizing depiction of Black people, Uncle Tom’s Cabin appealed to the Christian morality of many Northerners, prompting them to join the abolitionist movement. This wave of popular narratives about the horrors of slavery set the stage for Abraham Lincoln’s political leadership.
Although Lincoln is often lauded as an honest and progressive American president, the authors of Stamped reiterate that Lincoln was a much more complicated figure than his legacy suggests. Like Jefferson, Lincoln was inextricably tied to the economic benefits of slavery. His argument for abolition was grounded in his belief that the livelihood of white agricultural workers was threatened by Black slaves. The authors point out that Lincoln’s campaign involved him speaking from “three sides of his mouth.” Lincoln wanted to abolish slavery, but he didn’t think Black people should have equal rights. At the same time, he argued that the end of slavery would help poor whites economically. With this platform, Lincoln lost his 1858 Senate race against Stephen Douglas.
When Lincoln later ran for president, he was against racial equality and against Black voting. However, white slaveholders were still worried that he wouldn’t be able to stop a slave revolt if it were to happen. This prompted the Southern states to secede, and Jefferson Davis was voted the president of the newly-created Southern Confederacy. Losing the South meant that the rest of the United States was deprived of the slave and agricultural industry, which was the economic backbone of the nation. The secession prompted the Civil War, and many Black slaves escaped North and joined the Union army to fight against the Confederacy. Although the Fugitive Slave Act mandated that runaway slaves be returned to their owners, the act was repealed after one year and Lincoln declared all slaves free.
Although Lincoln is often hailed as the Great Emancipator, Stamped argues that the end of slavery had just as much to do with the work Black slaves did to free themselves. Additionally, the legal end of slavery did not mean the end of the problems faced by Black people in America. Upon their move to the North, former slaves were met with racist attitudes and were not accepted by society. Though, three days before his assassination, Lincoln had planned to extend voting rights to “educated” Black people, when he was assassinated this plan fell by the wayside. Following Lincoln’s death, Garrison retired, and the abolitionist project lost steam. When Andrew Johnson became president, he reversed many of Lincoln’s promises. Although the Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which guaranteed all citizens the right to vote without regard to skin color or previous status as enslaved, was officially enacted in 1870, there were racist loopholes that prevented Black citizens from achieving true equality. Towards the latter half of the 19th century, Black people began moving to the Midwest in hopes of building a new future during the post-war Reconstruction.
Analysis
In Section III, the book covers the events that transpired in the aftermath of Jefferson’s presidency. Although the North has often been depicted throughout history as an abolitionist utopia, it also relied economically on Black labor and wealthy Northerners had their own interests in oppressing African Americans. Reynolds and Kendi introduce two figures that were essential in circulating antiracist rhetoric in the Northeast. David Walker inspired William Lloyd Garrison to continue his legacy of promoting abolition through literature and writing. The story of Garrison's newspaper The Liberator further supports the theme that impactful stories and literature can inspire positive political action.
William Lloyd Garrison was an important figure because he used his privilege to advocate for oppressed populations. Moreover, he was humble enough to recognize the shortcomings of his own ideas and educate himself on how to politically evolve. Although Garrison advocated for abolition, he was hesitant about granting Black citizens the right to be accepted by white society. However, Garrison continued to educate himself and look laterally towards other revolutionary thinkers. After educating himself on at Turner’s politics, Garrison took a more actively anti-racist stance.
Garrison’s story is meant to inspire the readers of Stamped to follow in a similar suit. Reynolds and Kendi reiterate that one aspect of being an antiracist is to actively use privilege to benefit those that are not as fortunate. In addition, Reynolds and Kendi demonstrate how easy it is to fall into the trap of assimilationist thinking. Although Garrison was taking active measures to advocate for the end of abolition, he also harbored racist thoughts and feelings. He was inspired by those around him to confront his own political shortcomings and address how he could advocate for others in a more extensive, acceptable manner.
The theme of impactful storytelling reappears later in this section. Frederick Douglass’s autobiographical account of his experience as a runaway slave humanized the narrative and struck a chord with white readers. One such reader was Harriet Beecher Stowe, who later went on to write Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Stowe used religion to argue that slavery was inherently immoral. However, Stowe was not able to portray Black people in a human manner. Her book inspired a “white savior” mentality that is ultimately rooted in racist thought. Although Stowe was a key figure in the abolitionist movement, the authors reiterate that abolitionism is not synonymous with antiracism.
Kendi and Reynolds explain that people could argue against the institution of slavery while simultaneously believing that Black people were innately inferior. This was the case with Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth President of the United States. Like Jefferson, Lincoln held contradicting perspectives surrounding the emancipation of slaves. Although he argued against slavery, his opinions were fueled by his own wishes to bolster the white, poor agrarian economy. While Lincoln signed influential legislation into effect, former slaves actively advocated for their own liberation. This detail is often omitted from history books, and Lincoln is universally heralded as the “Great Emancipator.” Once again, Reynolds and Kendi urge readers to continually re-educate themselves and understand the nuances of American history.
