Michigan Anti-Slavery Society facts for kids
The Michigan Anti-Slavery Society was an important group formed on November 10, 1836, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. At that time, Michigan was still a territory, not yet a state. This society was part of a bigger movement across the United States to end slavery. They also helped support the Underground Railroad, which was a secret network that helped enslaved people find freedom.
Forming the Society
The Michigan Anti-Slavery Society was started by 75 people who wanted to end slavery. These people were called abolitionists. They came from six different counties in Michigan. The society received support from religious groups like the Wesleyan Methodists and the Quakers.
At the time, people in Michigan had very different ideas about slavery. Some were against it, while others supported it. Guy Beckley and Theodore Foster, who published an anti-slavery newspaper called the Signal of Liberty, faced criticism for their work. They wrote that people accused them of being "worse than horse thieves" just for helping enslaved people escape. This was because the Fugitive Slave Law of 1793 made it illegal to help people who had escaped slavery.
Meeting Place
The first meeting of the society was held at the First Presbyterian Church in Ann Arbor. For about ten years, the society continued to hold its meetings there. However, the main Presbyterian Church in the United States did not want to take a strong political stand against slavery. Because of this, some members of the First Presbyterian Church left and started a new church, the First Congregational Church of Ann Arbor, in 1847.
Spreading the Word
One of the main goals of the Michigan Anti-Slavery Society was to start an anti-slavery newspaper in Michigan. They first published a paper called American Freeman, then the Michigan Freeman. These were later replaced by a weekly newspaper called the Signal of Liberty in 1841. The society's leaders helped write for this newspaper, sharing their message and news about the fight against slavery.
Today, there is a special marker at the site of the First Presbyterian Church. This marker remembers the church's important role in starting the anti-slavery society and its newspapers.
Key Leaders
Over time, the society was reorganized in Adrian, Michigan. Many important abolitionists helped lead the group. These included Stephen Symonds Foster and Abby Kelley Foster, the famous Sojourner Truth, Jonathan Walker, Marius Robinson, and Sallie Holley. These leaders worked hard to continue the fight against slavery in Michigan and beyond.
