C- grade

Lacks analysis

David Walker was a free African American abolitionist who wrote a pamphlet called An Appeal to Blacks to try and speak to the black slaves. Walker told about a revolt about sixty black slaves who were being bought and taken back to a plantation chained together with iron handcuffs and chains. Somehow these blacks freed themselves from these iron cuffs and chains. Walker said it was help form God.

The black slaves killed all but left one brutally injured to die. But one of the black women slaves helped this man to his gorse. The man escaped with his life, and of course the black gang of slaves were found and punished. Walker is trying to find reason why the women helped this man to his horse. Early in the pamphlet it said the man who escaped from the gang was a Negro driver. The slave women many have thought he was a slave too. She may have thought she would be let free or would be rewarded for helping him. She may have thought she would be killed or maybe the man threatened her life is she wasn't to help him.

Walker speaks to the slaves in this pamphlet saying that the women was stupid for her actions of helping this man. Her own people died when they could have been free. He speaks to the slaves telling them to rebel and that they can rebel.

In Walker's pamphlet it says "I do declare it, that one good black man can put to death six white men; and I give it as a fact, let twelve black men get well armed for battle and they will kill and put to fight fifty whites". Slave owners probably read this and were scared that blacks would read this some how and might listen and rebel against there owners. Owners knew it could happen that what Walker was saying was true. Owners did not want there slaves to have any knowledge other that what they already know, and what they know is how to work themselves to death. With knowledge such as reading and writing slaves could communicate in ways like Walker's pamphlet or in privacy they could communicate behind there owners back. Since the slaves were not to read or write they could only communicate with the slaves around them. They would not be able to know what is going on around the oater slave states or even the other slave communities.

It makes you wonder why slaves didn't get together lie Walker said they could do. Why didn't these slaves rebel?

Walker says "The blacks don't have courage in themselves." "Eight white men can frighten fifty black men". Walker says "There is a solemn awe in the hearts of the black, as it respects murdering men".

Other reasons they did not rebel is the y knew they would get found and punished or they had a better chance surviving if they stayed where they were.

This pamphlet was written in 1829. Nat Turners revolt was 2 years later in 1831. Do you think Walker's pamphlet was an impact for Nat Turners rebellion? Turners revolt had 60 blacks revolting so did the revolt in the pamphlet. Turner's rebellion lasted 36 hours. Turner and 18 other (some innocent) were executed. Some of the heads were put on a fence posts to warn the other blacks. This is why the slaves did not rebel they see how each one ends. They had no chance.