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Article Summary
The article David Walker’s appeal is an article that explains more about the history of America. This piece of writing is radical. Moreover, the article was introduced by James Tuner. Also, his father was a slave, but his mother was free though she was black. He was born in 1796 in Wilmington, North Carolina (Crockett, 301). In addition to that, he had traveled all over the world, and he had settled in Boston. The article exposed how the American claim of freedom, as well as Christianity, was hypocritical. The publication brought out the light of the struggle against slavery. It is a combination of various themes in the philosophy of the blacks politically, which had evolved in the USA. David Walker told the black people to defend themselves from the common enemy of slavery.
The central theme of the article was slavery. David Walker targeted his emotional tract, which was most specific on the free black people in the north and the slaves in the south. In addition to that, he was an outspoken man, and he was also a black abolitionist. In his article, he expressed his thoughts on the slave trade (Crockett, 309). Moreover, in the article, he addressed the whites and slave masters in the north who sort for the article and read it out of curiosity. However, David had approaches that were emancipated. Additionally, he pushed for the formation of colonization schemes of anti-slavery groups of the white such as the North Carolina Manumission Society (Crockett, 313). In his articles, he tells the people it is better to be killed than to be a slave or a tyrant. Nevertheless, this article created a feeling of fear among the white masters.
Moreover, another theme depicted in the report is that of religion. In the article, David Walker links the doctrine of Jesus Christ to slavery in America. He stated that God’s justice promoted religion in the USA (Crockett, 315). As a result of his journey to the world, he claimed that he had met with different kinds of people, but the nations suffering were those who were made up mostly of Christians, but the heathen nations did not allow slavery in their societies.
In addition to that, the theme of tradition is also present in Walker’s article. He states that slavery in America was as a result of the historical tradition. In tradition, blacks were considered to be inferior to white Americans. This history, however, promoted slavery by the presence of many black slaves compared to the white slaves. The theme of hard work and equality is also present in Walker’s article. He states that the Americans got their property through their blood and sweat. He, therefore, urged Americans to rule out the slave trade since by them accepting the slave trade, they were giving up on their property acquired through hard work. Moreover, he urged the Americans not to let any foreigner come and beat them in their country through the slave trade. He added that America was their country more than it was a country belonging to the whites. He told the Americans to fight and not let anyone drive them out of their homes and properties, which they had acquired through hard work.
Additionally, he talked about equality. He made a declaration that all people had been created by God equally with the same features, which would enable them to survive in the world. Moreover, he stated that the people needed to break the political ties that bonded them since they were a source of division among them. However, the people were to believe in God’s nature that he had powers over the earth and set up equal law stations. He also advocated for respect for each other’s opinions since all men were created equally, and no one was above each other. He stated that all people were given life, liberty as well as happiness; hence slave trade was supposed to be unheard of.
Work cited
Crockett, Hasan. “The incendiary pamphlet: David Walker’s appeal in Georgia.” The Journal of
Negro History 86.3 (2001): 305-318.