The Present Crisis facts for kids

"The Present Crisis" is a famous poem written in 1845 by James Russell Lowell. He wrote it to protest against the Mexican–American War. Many years later, this poem inspired the name of The Crisis magazine. This magazine is published by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Why Was "The Present Crisis" Written?

How the Poem Came to Be

James Russell Lowell, around 1844–1845

James Russell Lowell wrote this poem when the United States government was thinking about adding Texas as a state. At that time, Texas allowed slavery. Lowell and others did not want Texas to join as a slave state. They worried it would make slavery stronger in the South.

Lowell also feared that allowing slavery in Texas would lead to it spreading. He thought it might expand into places like California and the southwest.

In 1844, John Greenleaf Whittier asked Lowell to write a poem. Whittier was a poet who worked against slavery. He wanted a poem to inspire people in the antislavery movement. Whittier hoped it would be as powerful as "La Marseillaise" was for French people. "La Marseillaise" is now the national anthem of France.

The Poem's First Appearance

Lowell's poem was first printed on December 11, 1845. It appeared in the Boston Courier newspaper. Its first title was "Verses Suggested by the Present Crisis." Later, in 1848, it was included in his book Poems. There, it was simply called "The Present Crisis."

The poem quickly became very popular. Both critics and readers liked it a lot. It reminded people of the country's past. It encouraged them to always choose what is right. The poem soon became like an anthem for the antislavery movement. Leaders like William Lloyd Garrison often quoted it. One expert, Marcus Wood, said it was "the" poetic anthem for the movement.

Lowell also wrote another work about the Mexican–American War. In 1848, he published a funny book called The Biglow Papers. This book used humor to show what the war meant. It also showed how people who supported slavery viewed the war.

How "The Present Crisis" Influenced Others

A Magazine's Name and Famous Speeches

In the summer of 1910, a group was planning a new magazine. This magazine was for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Mary White Ovington mentioned Lowell's poem. A board member then said, "There is the name of your magazine." So, the publication was named The Crisis. W. E. B. Du Bois became its first editor.

Martin Luther King Jr. often used lines from this poem. He quoted it frequently in his speeches and sermons. The poem also inspired a famous hymn. This hymn is called "Once to Every Man and Nation."

Quoted in Modern Times

On February 11, 2021, a part of "The Present Crisis" was quoted. Dr. Barry Black used it in a prayer. This prayer was given at the start of a big event in the United States government.