The Abolitionist’s Handbook: The Alternative Techniques and Roles of U.S. Abolitionists

Despite the instrumental role abolitionists have played in the progression of human rights in early American history, seldom do we learn about the contrasting methods abolitionists used to further their pursuits. This paper seeks to remedy this shortcoming by exploring the various mechanisms U.S. abolitionists used during the antebellum and Civil War periods. Moreover, while there is currently an abundance of historical works that document the individual lives and impact made by abolitionists of this time, little research focuses on the analysis of the different techniques used by those abolitionists. This paper will provide an analysis of a wide array of strategies used by a diverse pool of abolitionists. To best carry out this task, I will be examining primary sources that include, but are not limited to, autobiographies, musical scores, newspaper articles, poetry, and political leaflets, which I will then couple with various secondary sources to ensure a robust view of the scope of the work of the abolitionists discussed. I will then examine and document the divergence of the methods used, and with this information in hand, I will identify the role these techniques play in the grand scheme of the abolition movement