A BLACK’S STAND AGAINST COLONIZATION
One of the most outstanding black abolitionist leaders was Frederick Douglass. An
escaped slave, he became a powerful and effective speaker and writer in the antislavery
movement. Douglass told of the horrors of slavery from his own experience and never
failed to move his audiences by telling of the Inhumanity and cruelty of slavery.
In addition to speaking at antislavery meetings, Douglass also published an
abolitionist newspaper, the North Star, and aided escaped slaves. In this selection,
Douglass argues against the colonization of black Americans in Liberia.
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We are of the opinion that the free
colored people generally mean to live in
America, and not in Africa. To set aside
a large sum of money for our removal
would merely be a waste of the public
money. We do not mean to go to
Liberia. Our minds are made up to live
here if we can, or die here if we must.
Every attempt to remove us will be, as it
ought to be, labor lost. Here we are and
here we shall remain. While our brothers and sisters are in bondage on these
shores, it is idle to think of persuading
many free colored people to leave this
for a foreign land.
For two hundred and twenty-eight
years the colored people have worked in
the soil of America, under a burning sun
and a driver's whip. They have plowed,
planted, and reaped so that whites might
live in ease, their hands unhardened by
labor, their brows unwet by the sweat of
work. Now that the moral sense of
humanity is beginning to revolt at this
system of cruel wrong and is demanding
its overthrow, the mean and cowardly
oppressor is planning to expel the
colored people entirely from the country.
Shame upon the guilty wretches that
dare propose or consider such a plan.
We live here have lived here-have a
right to live here and mean to live here
in the future.
READING REVIEW
1. What was Douglass’ main objection to sending free blacks to Liberia?
2. What “loaded” words did Douglass use to convince people of the rightness of his
stand?
3. For whom was Douglass speaking?
Source: Adapted from Frederick Douglass, speech published in The North Star, 26th January
1849, as presented in Sources in American History: A Book of Readings (Chicago, Illinois:
Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers, 1986), pages 137-138.