An Appeal in Favor of that Class of Americans Called Africans

audiobook

An Appeal in Favor of that Class of Americans Called Africans

by Lydia Maria Child

EN·~8 hours

Chapters

Description

In this earnest appeal, the author—known for practical household guides—turns her voice toward a weighty moral issue. She opens with a direct challenge to readers, asking them to set aside prejudice and examine the harsh realities faced by a class of Americans she calls Africans. The prose blends personal conviction with vivid, poetic quotations, creating a compelling invitation to consider the injustice of slavery.

The work begins with a concise history of the slave trade, tracing its roots from early Portuguese expeditions in the 15th century through Spanish colonization and the expansion of the market in the New World. By recounting specific episodes—such as the 1517 royal patent for thousands of African captives and the involvement of early English merchants—the author illustrates how greed and legal sanction intertwined to perpetuate human bondage. She condemns the moral blindness of those who profited, urging readers to recognize the shared humanity of the enslaved.

Beyond the historical narrative, the pamphlet urges immediate moral action, urging readers to support emancipation and view the fight for freedom as a shared duty. Its candid, unapologetic tone offers a rare glimpse of early feminist abolitionist advocacy.

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Details

Language

en

Duration

~8 hours (499K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Credits

Produced by Suzanne Shell, C. St. Charleskindt and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net.

Release date

2009-03-03

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

About the author

Lydia Maria Child

Lydia Maria Child

1802–1880

A pioneering American writer and reformer, she used novels, journalism, and essays to reach a wide audience and became one of the earliest white women to argue forcefully for the abolition of slavery. Her life joined literary success with decades of outspoken work for antislavery and Native American rights.

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