Library of Congress
Loc: Born in Slavery
From the Library of Congress American Memory project, this extensive online archive contains first-person narratives of slavery and 500 black-and-white photographs of former slaves that were collected in the 1930s as part of the Federal...
Library of Congress
Loc: America's Story: Detective Allan Pinkerton
Allan Pinkerton saved Abraham Lincoln from an assassination attempt, started the United States Secret Service and helped slaves seek freedom via the Underground Railroad. Learn about his early life in Scotland and view a photograph of...
PBS
Wnet: Thirteen: Slavery and the Making of America: Slave Responses to Enslavement
Using primary documents, oral histories, and other historical resources, learn how African Americans responded to enslavement prior to the Civil War. Includes interactive exercise.
Other
Suny New Paltz: Sojourner Truth Library: Sojourner Truth Records
Featured is an archive of documents relating to 19th century abolitionist and feminist, Sojourner Truth. Includes a brief biography, pictures, narratives, maps and other materials relating to her life.
Other
Many Roads to Freedom: Locally Published Abolitionist Newspapers
Selections from abolitionist papers that were published in or near Rochester, New York are provided here for download in PDF format.
Other
Maryland State Archives: Biography of Thomas Garrett
A comprehensive biography of famous Delaware abolitionist Thomas Garrett. Learn of Garrett's Quaker upbringing and how he gave his life and finances to free the enslaved.
Other
19th C. u.s. Women's Writings: Lydia Maria Child's "Slavery's Pleasant Homes"
Text of several of Lydia Child's writings that supported her abolitionist sentiments.
Library of Congress
Loc: From Slavery to Freedom: African American Pamphlets, 1822 1909
A collection of historical, primary documents in the form of pamphlets written by African Americans from 1822-1909. Curriculum connections included.
Library of Congress
Loc: African American Odyssey: Abolition, Anti Slavery Movements
A section of an online exhibit that deals with historically important documents about the abolition movement from its earliest Quaker beginnings in the early 18th century through 1860.
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Gilder Lehrman Institute: History by Era: Slavery and Anti Slavery
[Free Registration/Login Required] An excellent essay explaining the roots of the anit-slavery movement in the United States in the early 1830s and its evolution over the next twenty-five years. Read about the abolitionists, both white...
PBS
Pbs: Angelina and Sarah Grimke
A biography of the Grimke sisters, women who were before their time in so many ways and who fought for equality of the sexes.
The Newberry Library
Newberry Library: Slavery, Civil War, and the "New Birth of Freedom"
Newberry Library presents primary source materials from which students learn about the arguments made for abolition before the Civil War, how the appeals against slavery were framed, and what freedom would mean for the South and the...
The Newberry Library
Newberry Library: The Anti Slavery Movement in Chicago and Illinois
Lesson on the actions of the anti-slavery movement in Chicago and Illinois examines how abolitionists tried to transform public opinion and how they responded to events of the 1850s. Primary source material and questions for...
Cornell University
Cornell University: Library: I Will Be Heard! Abolitionism in America
A collection of original manuscripts, letters, photographs, rare books, and other materials on abolitionism from the 1700s through 1865.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Reading Guide: David Walker, From "Appeal"
Brief biographical information about David Walker and a link to the complete text of his famous writing, "Appeal," written in 1830.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Making of African American Identity: The Black Press
Selections from a black newspaper, "The Colored American, "from 1837-1838 that detail the numerous issues and agendas confronting enslaved and free blacks.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Making of African American Identity: Canada
Descriptions of fugitive slave communities in Canada and comments from those who escaped to these locations as well as welcoming statements to fugitive slaves in the mid-nineteenth century.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Making of African American Identity: Emigration
Proposals for and arguments against the emigration of blacks to Haiti and to Africa during the mid-nineteenth century. The struggle of African Americans, such as Martin Delany, to determine the appropriate course of action with this...
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Emancipation: Abolition
Speeches, songs, letters, and pamphlets from the early- and mid-nineteenth century promoting the abolition of slavery and emancipation of enslaved peoples are provided within this resource.
Library of Congress
Loc: Abolition
This site, which is provided for by the Library of Congress, is part of the African American Mosaic. It describes abolition and gives references to books about the topic.
Cengage Learning
Heath Online Instructor's Guide: Angelina Grimke Weld and Sarah Moore Grimke
Instruction guide in teaching the writings of Angelina and Sarah Grimke. Included are discussion questions.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Harcourt: Biographies: Sojourner Truth
Learn about Sojouner Truth's eventful life from runaway slave to advocate for freedom and fairness. The first African American woman to speak out against slavery in public. (In Spanish)
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Harcourt: Biographies: Harriet Tubman (Spanish Translation)
Learn about one of the great leaders of the movement to free southern slaves. Truly a life of selflessness, Harriet Tubman risked her freedom to help others escape. Find out more about this exceptional American's way of life. [Spanish...
NASA
Nasa Quest: Follow the Drinking Gourd Lessons
A series of lessons for students from elementary through high school on how escaping slaves would use the song "Follow the Drinking Gourd" to guide them to freedom.