Introduction and Context
"Treat us like men, and there is no danger but we will all live in peace and happiness together. For we are not like you, hard hearted, unmerciful, and unforgiving. What a happy country this will be, if the whites will listen." - David Walker
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David Walker was born in 1785 to a white mother and slave father. Because his father died before his birth, Walker inherited his mother's free status. Despite this freedom, Walker grew up in a slave society and developed a deep hatred for the institution.
By the time of his adulthood, he made the decision to leave the south stating, "If I remain in this bloody land, I will not live long. . . . I cannot remain where I must hear slaves' chains continually and where I must encounter the insults of their hypocritical enslavers." After traveling around the country, Walker eventually settled in Boston. From Boston, David Walker's published a surprising pamphlet all at once inspired, awakened, and frightened the sensibilities of Americans of every color and status. The pamphlet was immediately banned in every slave state and in the state of Georgia, a bounty was put on Walker: $1,000 dead and $10,000 alive. Truly, the pamphlet showed the unspeakable power of literature at a time in American history where words cut through social pretenses and mores. In a reasoned but emotional approach, Walker urged slaves to rise up and break off their chains, despite the personal cost and threats against his life. For this reason, historians have speculated that Walker's Appeal incited the slave revolt led by Nat Turner in 1831. Despite his proposed influence, David Walker died before he would see the full fruition of his literary influence. Because of the threats against his life, it was thought at the time of his death in 1830 that Walker was poisoned for his controversial pamphlet. It is most likely that he died of tuberculosis, as his death record indicates. |
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The text below is an excerpt from his fiery pamphlet and includes the beginning preamble address and a brief passage from the fourth article entitled, "Our Wretchedness in Consequence of the Colonizing Plan." In this article, Walker addresses the plight and arguments for African Americans in America who suffered at the plans of their white citizen counterparts in positions of power and decision-making.
Document - Excerpts from Walker's Appeal, in Four Articles; Together with a Preamble, to the Coloured Citizens of the World
My dearly beloved Brethren and Fellow Citizens.
HAVING travelled over a considerable portion of these United States, and having, in the course of my travels, taken the most accurate observations of things as they exist--the result of my observations has warranted the full and unshaken conviction, that we, (coloured people of these United States,) are the most degraded, wretched, and abject set of beings that ever lived since the world began; and I pray God that none like us ever may live again until time shall be no more...
ADDITION.--Our dear Redeemer said, "Therefore, whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness, shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets, shall be proclaimed upon the house tops."
How obviously this declaration of our Lord has been shown among the Americans of the United States. They have hitherto passed among some nations, who do not know any thing about their internal concerns, for the most enlightened, humane, charitable, and merciful people upon earth, when at the same time they treat us, the (coloured people) secretly more cruel and unmerciful than any other nation upon earth.--It is a fact, that in our Southern and Western States, there are millions who hold us in chains or in slavery, whose greatest object and glory, is centered in keeping us sunk in the most profound ignorance and stupidity, to make us work without remunerations for our services. Many of whom if they catch a coloured person, whom they hold in unjust ignorance, slavery and degradation, to them and their children, with a book in his hand, will beat him nearly to death. I heard a wretch in the state of North Carolina said, that if any man would teach a black person whom he held in slavery, to spell, read or write, he would prosecute him to the very extent of the law...
--Georgia for instance, God has completely shown to the world, the Christianity among its white inhabitants. A law has recently passed the Legislature of this republican State (Georgia) prohibiting all free or slave persons of colour, from learning to read or write; another law has passed the republican House of Delegates, (but not the Senate) in Virginia, to prohibit all persons of colour, (free and slave) from learning to read or write, and even to hinder them from meeting together in order to worship our Maker!!!!!!--Now I solemly appeal, to the most skilful historians in the world, and all those who are mostly acquainted with the histories of the Antideluvians and of Sodom and Gomorrah, to show me a parallel of barbarity. Christians!! Christians!!! I dare you to show me a parallel of cruelties in the annals of Heathens or of Devils, with those of Ohio, Virginia and of Georgia--know the world that these things were before done in the dark, or in a corner under a garb of humanity and religion. God has however, taken of the fig-leaf covering, and made them expose themselves on the house top. I tell you that God works in many ways his wonders to perform, he will unless they repent, make them expose themselves enough more yet to the world.--See the acts of the Christians in FLORIDA, SOUTH CAROLINA, and KENTUCKY--was it not for the reputation of the house of my Lord and Master, I would mention here, an act of cruelty inflicted a few days since on a black man, by the white Christians in the PARK STREET CHURCH, in this (CITY) which is almost enough to make Demons themselves quake and tremble in their FIREY HABITATIONS.--Oh! my Lord how refined in iniquity the whites have got to be in consequence of our blood*
--what kind!! Oh! what kind!!! of Christianity can be found this day in all the earth!!!!!!
I write without the fear of man, I am writing for my God, and fear none but himself; they may put me to death if they choose--(I fear and esteem a good man however, let him be black or white.) ...But I declare that the atrocity is really to Heaven daring and infernal, that I must say that God has commenced a course of exposition among the Americans, and the glorious and heavenly work will continue to progress until they learn to do justice.
* The Blood of our fathers who have been murdered by the whites, and the groans of our Brethren, who are now held in cruel ignorance, wretchedness and slavery by them, cry aloud to the Maker of Heaven and of earth, against the whole continent of America, for redresses.
HAVING travelled over a considerable portion of these United States, and having, in the course of my travels, taken the most accurate observations of things as they exist--the result of my observations has warranted the full and unshaken conviction, that we, (coloured people of these United States,) are the most degraded, wretched, and abject set of beings that ever lived since the world began; and I pray God that none like us ever may live again until time shall be no more...
ADDITION.--Our dear Redeemer said, "Therefore, whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness, shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets, shall be proclaimed upon the house tops."
How obviously this declaration of our Lord has been shown among the Americans of the United States. They have hitherto passed among some nations, who do not know any thing about their internal concerns, for the most enlightened, humane, charitable, and merciful people upon earth, when at the same time they treat us, the (coloured people) secretly more cruel and unmerciful than any other nation upon earth.--It is a fact, that in our Southern and Western States, there are millions who hold us in chains or in slavery, whose greatest object and glory, is centered in keeping us sunk in the most profound ignorance and stupidity, to make us work without remunerations for our services. Many of whom if they catch a coloured person, whom they hold in unjust ignorance, slavery and degradation, to them and their children, with a book in his hand, will beat him nearly to death. I heard a wretch in the state of North Carolina said, that if any man would teach a black person whom he held in slavery, to spell, read or write, he would prosecute him to the very extent of the law...
--Georgia for instance, God has completely shown to the world, the Christianity among its white inhabitants. A law has recently passed the Legislature of this republican State (Georgia) prohibiting all free or slave persons of colour, from learning to read or write; another law has passed the republican House of Delegates, (but not the Senate) in Virginia, to prohibit all persons of colour, (free and slave) from learning to read or write, and even to hinder them from meeting together in order to worship our Maker!!!!!!--Now I solemly appeal, to the most skilful historians in the world, and all those who are mostly acquainted with the histories of the Antideluvians and of Sodom and Gomorrah, to show me a parallel of barbarity. Christians!! Christians!!! I dare you to show me a parallel of cruelties in the annals of Heathens or of Devils, with those of Ohio, Virginia and of Georgia--know the world that these things were before done in the dark, or in a corner under a garb of humanity and religion. God has however, taken of the fig-leaf covering, and made them expose themselves on the house top. I tell you that God works in many ways his wonders to perform, he will unless they repent, make them expose themselves enough more yet to the world.--See the acts of the Christians in FLORIDA, SOUTH CAROLINA, and KENTUCKY--was it not for the reputation of the house of my Lord and Master, I would mention here, an act of cruelty inflicted a few days since on a black man, by the white Christians in the PARK STREET CHURCH, in this (CITY) which is almost enough to make Demons themselves quake and tremble in their FIREY HABITATIONS.--Oh! my Lord how refined in iniquity the whites have got to be in consequence of our blood*
--what kind!! Oh! what kind!!! of Christianity can be found this day in all the earth!!!!!!
I write without the fear of man, I am writing for my God, and fear none but himself; they may put me to death if they choose--(I fear and esteem a good man however, let him be black or white.) ...But I declare that the atrocity is really to Heaven daring and infernal, that I must say that God has commenced a course of exposition among the Americans, and the glorious and heavenly work will continue to progress until they learn to do justice.
* The Blood of our fathers who have been murdered by the whites, and the groans of our Brethren, who are now held in cruel ignorance, wretchedness and slavery by them, cry aloud to the Maker of Heaven and of earth, against the whole continent of America, for redresses.
Questions for Discussion and Document Based Analysis
- How are American slaveholders "secretly more cruel and unmerciful" than others around the world? Cite the text.
- Walker italicizes many words in the fourth paragraph of this passage. What are those words and why do you think he does this? What message is he trying to convey?
- What does Walker think about white Christians? How do you know?
- Why would this pamphlet be so controversial at the time of its publication?
Sources Referenced
Hasan Crockett, "The Incendiary Pamphlet: David Walker's Appeal in Georgia," The Journal of Negro History, Vol. 86, No. 3 (Summer, 2001): 305-318.
James Basker, ed, American Antislavery Writings: Colonial Beginnings to Emancipation, (New York: Literary Classics of the United States, Inc., 2012), 262.
William S. Powell, ed., Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, (North Carolina: University of North Carolina Press, 1979).
James Basker, ed, American Antislavery Writings: Colonial Beginnings to Emancipation, (New York: Literary Classics of the United States, Inc., 2012), 262.
William S. Powell, ed., Dictionary of North Carolina Biography, (North Carolina: University of North Carolina Press, 1979).
