Slavery

Explore 35 quotes about Slavery

I entered the world a slave-in the midst of a country whose most honoured writings declare that all men have a right to liberty.

Henry Box Brown

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Topic

Slavery Equality American hypocrisy America

Author

Henry Box Brown

Source

Narrative of the Life of Henry Box Brown

Genre

Slave narrative Autobiography and memoir

Language

English

Time

1849 1840s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Brown, Henry Box. Narrative of Henry Box Brown. Boston: Brown & Stearns, 1849.

Current Citation

Brown, Henry Box. Narrative of the Live of Henry Box Brown. Dover Publications, 2015.

We first crush people to the earth, and then claim the right of trampling on them forever, because they are prostrate.

Lydia Maria Child

An Appeal in Favor of That Class of Americans Called Africans

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Topic

Abolitionism Slavery Oppression

Author

Lydia Maria Child

Source

An Appeal in Favor of That Class of Americans Called Africans

Genre

Political literature

Language

English

Time

1833 1830s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Child, Lydia Maria. An Appeal in Favor of That Class of Americans Called Africans. Boston: Allen & Ticknor, 1833, ch. 6.

Where Slavery is, there Liberty cannot be; and where Liberty is, there Slavery cannot be.

Charles Sumner

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Topic

Slavery Freedom

Speaker

Charles Sumner

Source

Slavery and the Rebellion

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1864 1860s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Sumner, Charles. "Slavery and the Rebellion." 5 Nov. 1864, Cooper Institute, New York City, NY, USA.

The state of slavery is of such a nature, that it is incapable of being introduced on any reasons, moral or political, but only positive law, which preserves its force long after the reasons, occasion, and time itself from whence it was created, is erased from memory. It is so odious, that nothing can be suffered to support it, but positive law.

William Murray, Lord Mansfield

Somerset v. Stewart

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Topic

Slavery

Author

William Murray, Lord Mansfield

Source

Somerset v. Stewart

Medium

Legal opinion

Genre

Legal writing

Language

English

Time

1771 1770s 18th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Murray, William. King's Bench. Somerset v Stewart. 98 ER 499. 22 June 1772.

To be a slave was to be a human being under conditions in which that humanity was denied. They were not slaves. They were people. Their condition was slavery.

Julius Lester

To Be a Slave

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Topic

Slavery

Author

Julius Lester

Source

To Be a Slave

Language

English

Time

1968 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Lester, Julius. To Be a Slave. Dial Books for Young Readers, 1968, ch. 1.

Death is the only freedom a slave knows. That's why he's not afraid of it.

Spartacus

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More information about this quote

Topic

Death as a blessing Death Slavery

Speaker

Spartacus

Actor

Kirk Douglas

Source

Spartacus

Medium

Film

Genre

Epic (film) Historical drama (film) Epic Historical drama

Language

English

Time

1960 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Spartacus. Directed by Stanley Kubrick, Bryna Productions, 1960.

We were proclaiming ourselves political hypocrites before the world, by thus fostering Human Slavery and proclaiming ourselves, at the same time, the sole friends of Human Freedom.

Abraham Lincoln

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Topic

Slavery Freedom Hypocrisy American politics

Speaker

Abraham Lincoln

Source

Speeches of Abraham Lincoln

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1854 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Lincoln, Abraham. Speech at Springfield, IL. 4 Oct. 1854, Springfield, IL, USA.

This government was instituted to secure the blessings of freedom, and…slavery is an unqualified evil to the negro, to the white man, to the soil, and to the State.

Abraham Lincoln

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Topic

Purpose of government Government Slavery Freedom American politics

Speaker

Abraham Lincoln

Source

Speeches of Abraham Lincoln

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1858 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Lincoln, Abraham. Speech in Illinois. 11 Sept. 1858, Edwardsville, IL, USA.

Current Citation

Lincoln, Abraham. "From Portion of Speech at Edwardsville, Illinois, September 11, 1858." Lincoln's Selected Writings, edited by David S. Reynolds. W. W. Norton & Company, 2016.

I believe that involuntary servitude, as it exists in different States of this Confederacy, is recognized by the Constitution. I believe that it stands like any other admitted right, and that the States where it exists are entitled to efficient remedies to enforce the constitutional provisions.

Franklin Pierce

Inaugural Address of Franklin Pierce

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Topic

Pre-Civil War conflict Slavery American politics

Speaker

Franklin Pierce

Source

Inaugural Address of Franklin Pierce Presidential inaugural address

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1853 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Pierce, Franklin. "Inaugural Address." 4 Mar. 1853, East Portico, US Capitol Building, Washington, DC, USA.

The last, perhaps the greatest, of the prominent sources of discord and disaster supposed to lurk in our political condition was the institution of domestic slavery.

Martin Van Buren

Inaugural Address of Martin van Buren

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Topic

Slavery

Speaker

Martin Van Buren

Source

Inaugural Address of Martin van Buren Presidential inaugural address

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1837 1830s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Van Buren, Martin. "Inaugural Address." 4 Mar. 1837, East Portico, US Capitol Building, Washington, DC, USA.

I, John Brown, am now quite certain that the crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away but with blood.

John Brown

More information about this quote

Topic

Slavery American Civil War America

Author

John Brown

Source

LAST WORDS

Statement Type

Prophecies and predictions

Language

English

Time

1859 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Brown, John. Quoted in John Brown and His Men, written by R. J. Hinton. Funk and Wagnals, 1894. Originally was his last written words, 2 Dec. 1859.

The slave trade is contrary to the laws of God and to the rights of men.

David Hartley (the Younger)

More information about this quote

Topic

Slave trade Slavery Human rights Natural law

Speaker

David Hartley (the Younger)

Source

A Memoir of Granville Sharp

Medium

Speech

Language

English

Time

1776 1770s 18th century

Era

Age of Enlightenment

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Harley, David. Speech before the House of Commons. 1776, Palace of Westminster, London, England, UK.

All agree that under the Constitution slavery in the States is beyond the reach of any human power except that of the respective States themselves wherein it exists.

James Buchanan

Inaugural Address of James Buchanan

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Topic

Pre-Civil War conflict Slavery American politics

Speaker

James Buchanan

Source

Inaugural Address of James Buchanan Presidential inaugural address

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1857 1850s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Buchanan, James. "Inaugural Address." 4 Mar. 1857, East Portico, US Capitol Building, Washington, DC, USA.

Let Southern oppressors tremble-let their secret abettors tremble-let their Northern apologists tremble-let all the enemies of the persecuted blacks tremble.

William Lloyd Garrison

To the Public

More information about this quote

Topic

American slavery Slavery

Author

William Lloyd Garrison

Source

To the Public The Liberator

Medium

Essay Newspaper

Language

English

Time

1831 1830s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Garrison, William Lloyd. "To the Public." The Liberator, 1 Jan. 1831.

If slavery is right, all words, acts, laws, and constitutions against it, are themselves wrong, and should be silenced, and swept away. If it is right, we cannot justly object to its nationality—its universality; if it is wrong, they cannot justly insist upon its extention—its enlargement.

Abraham Lincoln

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Topic

Slavery

Speaker

Abraham Lincoln

Source

Address at Cooper Institute, New York City

Medium

Speech

Genre

Political speech

Language

English

Time

1860 1860s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Lincoln, Abraham. "Address at Cooper Institute, New York City." 27 Feb. 1860, New York City, NY, USA.

Current Citation

Lincoln, Abraham. "Address at Cooper Institute, New York City, February 27, 1860." Abraham Lincoln: Speeches and Writings 1859-1865, edited by Don E. Fehrenbacher. Library of America, 1989.