American Anti-Slavery Society
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The American Anti-Slavery Society (1833-1870) was an abolitionist society founded by William Lloyd Garrison and Arthur Tappan. Frederick Douglass was a key leader of the society and often spoke at its meetings. William Wells Brown was another freed slave who often spoke at meetings. By 1835, the society had 1,000 local chapters with around 150,000 members. Famous members included Theodore Dwight Weld, Lewis Tappan, Lydia Child, Maria Weston Chapman, Henry Highland Garnet, Samuel Cornish, James Forten, Charles Lenox Remond, Robert Purvis, and Wendell Phillips.
The society was the scene for many disagreements between Garrison and prominent New York and midwestern abolitionists. One issue between the two sides was whether abolitionists should enter politics as a distinct party. Another issue concerned the role of women in the abolitionist movement. Garrison urged that positions equal to men be given to women. A minority of anti-feminist delegates left the society as a result.
The United States Liberty Party was a separate anti-slavery society that broke away from the American Anti-Slavery Society due to disagreements surrounding Garrison's leadership . The disruption of the American Anti-Slavery Society, however, caused little damage to abolitionism.
The American Anti-Slavery Society should not be confused with the American Anti-Slavery Group--a modern-day organization.
[edit] External links
- Works by the American Anti-Slavery Society at Project Gutenberg
- The Antislavery Literature Project major academic center for primary sources
- American Anti-Slavery Society, "Constitution"
- Anti-Slavery Society - documents
