Who symbolized the anti-slavery movement?

History · High School · Tue Nov 03 2020

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Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass are among the most iconic figures who symbolized the anti-slavery movement. Harriet Tubman is famed for her role as a conductor on the Underground Railroad, helping numerous slaves escape to freedom. Frederick Douglass, who escaped from slavery himself, became a prominent activist, speaker, and writer, advocating for the abolition of slavery and the rights of African Americans.

The anti-slavery movement, also known as abolitionism, gained momentum in the 18th and 19th centuries. It comprised a diverse group of individuals who organized campaigns, wrote literature, and pushed political action with the goal of ending slavery in the United States and elsewhere. Among these activists were both white supporters and African Americans who were emancipated or escaped from slavery. Other notable figures include William Lloyd Garrison, who founded the abolitionist newspaper "The Liberator," and Sojourner Truth, a former slave who became a powerful speaker on behalf of abolition and women's rights. The movement employed various strategies, from moral persuasion to political lobbying, and created networks such as the Underground Railroad to help enslaved people flee to free states and Canada. The culmination of their efforts contributed to the American Civil War and the eventual issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln, which declared all slaves in Confederate-held territory to be set free. Abolitionist ideas and their legacy continued with the push for civil rights and equality long after the formal end of slavery with the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

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