The Emancipator (newspaper) facts for kids
(nameplate)
Genius of Universal Emancipation Vol. 3, No. 12 (Whole No. 288) (third series) October 1833 |
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| Type | Weekly newspaper |
|---|---|
| Owner(s) | American Anti-Slavery Society (1833–1836) Liberty Party (1840–1850) |
| Founder(s) | Arthur Tappan |
| Founded | March 1833 |
| Political alignment | Abolitionist |
| Language | English |
| Ceased publication | December 26, 1850 |
| City | New York City (1833–March 1844) Boston |
| Country | United States |
The Emancipator was an important American newspaper. It was published from 1833 to 1850. This newspaper was created to fight against slavery. It started in New York City and later moved to Boston.
The newspaper was first the official voice of the American Anti-Slavery Society. This group worked to end slavery. From 1840 to 1850, the newspaper was published by the Liberty Party. This political party also wanted to end slavery. Over time, The Emancipator joined with other anti-slavery newspapers. Because of this, its name changed a few times.
Many people wrote for The Emancipator. Some famous contributors included Lewis Tappan, who was involved in the Amistad case. Another writer was James McCune Smith, who also helped edit The Colored American. Other important people who wrote for the paper were Joseph Cammett Lovejoy, Samuel Edmund Sewall, Henry Brewster Stanton, Horace Edwin Smith, William Ellery Channing, and William Stevens Robinson.
Contents
The History of The Emancipator
The Emancipator began in March 1833. It was started in New York City by Arthur Tappan. He was a rich man who strongly believed in ending slavery. He was also the president of the American Anti-Slavery Society.
When The Emancipator started, it marked the beginning of the anti-slavery movement in New York state. The first editor of the newspaper was Charles Wheeler Denison.
The newspaper hired African-American sales agents. These agents helped spread the newspaper's message. They included:
- David Ruggles from New York City, who was the main agent.
- John D. Closson from Newark, New Jersey.
- Thomas Van Rensslear from Princeton, New Jersey.
- Abraham Doras Shadd from Pennsylvania.
- John Carlisle from Pennsylvania.
In 1835, something big happened. In Alabama, a group of people tried to stop the newspaper. They accused Robert G. Williams, who published The Emancipator, of trying to cause trouble among enslaved people. The Governor of Alabama asked New York's Governor to send Williams to Alabama for trial. But New York's Governor refused to send him.
From 1836 to 1840, Theodore Dwight Weld was the editor. After he left, Joshua Leavitt took over as editor.
In 1840, the American Anti-Slavery Society split into two groups. The Emancipator then became Leavitt's own newspaper. It also became a main newspaper for the Liberty Party. Leavitt continued to be the editor until 1848.
The newspaper's name changed several times. This happened between 1842 and 1848. It merged with other anti-slavery newspapers in Boston. During this time, the newspaper always worked to end slavery. In January 1842, it joined with The Free American. This was another anti-slavery newspaper. The new paper was called The Emancipator and Free American.
Leavitt and Elizur Wright worked as co-editors for a while. In March 1844, Wright left, and the newspaper moved its main office to Boston. The newspaper published its last issue on December 26, 1850. At that time, it was known as the Emancipator & Republican.
Key People and Names of The Emancipator
Editors of the Newspaper
Here are the people who edited The Emancipator over the years:
| 1833–1834 | Charles Wheeler Denison |
| 1834–1835 | William Goodell |
| 1836 | Amos Augustus Phelps |
| 1836–1840 | Theodore Dwight Weld |
| 1840–1841 | Joshua Leavitt |
| 1842–1844 | Joshua Leavitt (New York) and Elizur Wright (Boston) |
| 1844 | John Greenleaf Whittier (for a short time) |
| 1845–1848 | Joshua Leavitt |
| March 1848 | Curtis C. Nichols |
| 1848–1850 | Henry Wilson, then Lucius Edwin Smith |
Names of the Publication
The newspaper changed its name a few times as it merged with other papers:
| Mar. 1833–Jan. 1842 | The Emancipator |
| Jan. 1842–Mar. 1844 | The Emancipator and Free American |
| Mar. 27, 1844–Oct. 8, 1845 | The Emancipator and Weekly Chronicle |
| Oct. 15, 1845–Sept. 13, 1848 | The Emancipator |
| Sept. 20, 1848–Nov. 8, 1848 | The Emancipator and Free Soil Press (connected to the Free Soil Party) |
| Nov. 17, 1848–Dec. 26, 1850 | Emancipator & Republican |
Publishers of the Newspaper
These are the people or groups who published the newspaper:
| The Emancipator | |
| 1835–1841 | Robert G. Williams, publisher in New York City |
| 1845–1848 | Rev. Hiram Cummings, publisher in Boston |
| Emancipator & Republican | |
| 1849 | Henry Wilson, publisher in Boston, February 9, 1849 – August 16, 1849 |
| 1849–1850 | Wilson & Bent – Henry Wilson and John Bent, publishers in Boston, August 23, 1849 – December 26, 1850 |
Images for kids
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William Ellery Channing
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William Stevens Robinson
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David Ruggles
(center)
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See also
- Other anti-slavery publications
- New York Manumission Society
- American Anti-Slavery Society
- American and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society
- Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society
- Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society
- Boston Vigilance Committee
- Fall River Female Anti Slavery Society
- Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society
- Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society
- Vigilant Association of Philadelphia
- Ohio Anti-Slavery Society
