Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Elijah Parish Lovejoy
I am Elijah Parish Lovejoy, a publisher of antislavery editorials in the states of Missouri and Illinois. Born in Maine, I have been a minister, an editor of newspapers, and finally an anti-slavery reformer. After my first editorial in Missouri, a mob destroyed my press, and I moved to Alton Illinois (Perhaps opposing slavery while in a slave state was a bad idea…). I set up a new press, only to have it destroyed again by a mob and thrown into the Mississippi! After this occurred several more times, a militia of 60 men had gathered to defend my press. When a mob gathered, we attempted to protect it by remaining in our warehouse. When I exited the building with several others of the militia to stop a person attempting to set fire to the roof, I was shot five times, and then died.
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2 comments:
I, Frances Wright, connect with your feeling of using the press to push for the abolition of slavery. I also used the press to push for the abolition of slavery when I helped to publish the Free Inquirer. Not only did I write about these things though, I was actually able to save some slaves by freeing them and shipping them to Haiti after my model community failed. However, I can feel your pain because getting your place wrecked by a mob more than one time is pretty harsh. I thought that you getting pushed into the Mississippi was funny but undeserving. I am just glad that there is another reformer out there who shares my views on how bad slavery is.
My name is Lydia Maria Child and I identify with your cause. I do believe that the emancipation of slaves is necessary, and hope that someday a level of peace and equality can be reached in this country. I, like yourself, took an active role in abolition. I edited the National Anti Slavery Standard for a few years, so I know what its like to present ideas that are unpopular. I am sorry to hear that you were shot 5 times...and that you were thrown into a river. That really sucks. But kudos for joining me in the cause to end the cruel institution of slavery.
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