Scholastic
Scholastic: Fugitive Slave Harriet Jacobs: Coming Up for Air
Harriet Jacobs escaped from slavery and wrote a book about her life experience. Her autobiography was written in 1861 with the help of an abolitionist.
Digital History
Digital History: John Brown at Harper's Ferry [Pdf]
Find out about the influences in John Brown's life that led him to think inciting a slave insurrection would be the way to get rid of slavery. Read about his actions in Kansas, and the raid he planned at Harper's Ferry. [pdf]
Other
Alton, Illinois: Elijah Parish Lovejoy
Biography on minister, journalist, and anti-slavery spokesperson Elijah Lovejoy, who was killed by a mob when he was 34. This well written bio focuses on the events on the night of his death.
Curated OER
National Park Service: Boston African American National Historic Site
A tour and commentary about the many sites in Boston where abolitionists lived and worked. Click on the links to find out about these brave souls, both black and white, who fought against slavery.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: Reading Guide: David Walker, From "Appeal"
Brief biographical information about David Walker and a link to the complete text of his famous writing, "Appeal," written in 1830.
University of Missouri
Famous Trials: Amistad: Lewis Tappan
A short essay on the life of abolitionist Lewis Tappan and his involvement with the Amistad case.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Harriet Beecher Stowe Uncle Tom's Cabin
Harriet Beecher Stowe threw gas on the fire of the slavery issue with the publication of her novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin. Read about her background as an abolitionist, and find out the influence her book had in the North and even in Great...
Black Past
Black Past: Douglass, Frederick
This encyclopedia entry gives a brief overview of the inspirational life of Fredrick Douglass, abolitionist, essayist, and promoter of rights for everyone. There are references to several of his stirring essays.
CommonLit
Common Lit:letter From Frederick Douglass to Harriet Tubman by Frederick Douglass
A learning module that begins with "Letter from Frederick Douglass to Harriet Tubman" by Frederick Douglass, accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. The text can be printed as a PDF or...
National Women's Hall of Fame
National Women's Hall of Fame: Sara Grimke
Read about the life and accomplishments of abolitionists Angelina Grimke and Sarah Grimke, important political figures in the anti-slavery movement.
Read Works
Read Works: Famous African Americans Frederick Douglass
[Free Registration/Login Required] This passage contains biographical information about the famous African American abolitionist and former slave, Frederick Douglass. This passage is a stand-alone curricular piece that reinforces...
PBS
Pbs: Africans in America: Harriet Tubman (1820 1913)
Here is a brief article from PBS on the life and accomplishments of abolitionist Harriet Tubman, who risked her life on several occasions to ensure the freedom of others. Links to a teacher's guide and primary sources are provided.
Library of Congress
Loc: Abolition
This site, which is provided for by the Library of Congress, is part of the African American Mosaic. It describes abolition and gives references to books about the topic.
Other
Personal Site: William Wilberforce
A nice biography of the famous British abolitionist who served in Parliament during the late 18th and early 19th century.
Washington State University
Washington State University: Frederick Douglass: Life & Works
A clickable list of student resources for researching the life and work of this 19th century African American civil rights leader and abolitionist.
National Women's Hall of Fame
National Women's Hall of Fame: Harriet Beecher Stowe
The National Women's Hall of Fame provides a good biography of the famous female author and abolitionist, Harriet Beecher Stowe. A photo is also included.
Other
Republican Party: Our History
Read the first few paragraphs of this article to find out about the formation of the Republican Party in 1854 and how it affected the political scene in the last part of the 1850s.
Read Works
Read Works: Sojourner Truth, 1864: A Primary Source
[Free Registration/Login Required] ReadWorks features a primary source from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. The primary source features the emancipated slave named Sojourner Truth who worked as an abolitionist and...
Other
Personal Site: Thomas Clarkson
A nicely done biography of the famous British anti-slavery campaigner in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Ohio History Central
Ohio History Central: Free Soil Party
A description of the platform and beliefs of the Free Soil Party which opposed expansion of slavery into US territories.
C-SPAN
C Span American Writers: Narrative of Frederick Douglass
A brief summary of The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Also includes an on-line text of the work as well as links to other informational websites.
Penguin Publishing
Penguin Random House: "Frederick Douglass American Slave" [Pdf]
Teacher guide for Douglass's biography features 24 pages of chapter-by-chapter study questions, quotations, and activities. Valuable post-reading activities as well as methods for eliciting student responses also included. This is a .pdf...
Curated OER
Early Copy of the Liberator
From historical documents trace how the abolitionists virulently decried slavery and denounced those who supported it. From the Library of Congress.
Curated OER
Wikipedia: Natl Historic Landmarks in Ma: Nathan and Mary Johnson Properties
These buildings, now housing the New Bedford Historical Society, belonged to a free African-American couple active in the abolitionist movement and the Underground Railroad. They notably took in activist Frederick Douglass after his...