author
Henry Highland Garnet
1815–1882
Born into slavery and freed as a child, he grew into one of the 19th century’s most forceful abolitionist voices. A preacher, teacher, and diplomat, he is especially remembered for urging enslaved people to claim their freedom.
2 Audiobooks
Walker's Appeal, with a Brief Sketch of His Life And Also Garnet's Address to the Slaves of the United States of America
by David Walker, Henry Highland Garnet
About the author
Born in Maryland in 1815, Henry Highland Garnet escaped slavery with his family while still a child and grew up in New York City. He studied at the African Free School and later at the Oneida Institute, where he developed the learning and speaking skills that would make him a powerful public figure.
Garnet became a Presbyterian minister, educator, and leading Black abolitionist. He was known for his bold 1843 "Address to the Slaves," a speech that called on enslaved people to resist bondage, setting him apart from many antislavery leaders of his time. Over the years he also supported Black self-determination in different forms, including emigration to Africa.
Later in life, Garnet continued his public service in both church and government roles. He became the first Black minister known to preach before the U.S. House of Representatives, and near the end of his life he was appointed U.S. minister to Liberia. He died in Monrovia in 1882, leaving behind a legacy of fearless advocacy, eloquence, and political courage.