Oberlin, Hotbed of Abolitionism: College, Community, and the Fight for Freedom and Equality in Antebellum America

by J. Brent Morris

Overview

By exploring the role of Oberlin--the college and the community--in fighting against slavery and for social equality, J. Brent Morris establishes this "hotbed of abolitionism" as the core of the antislavery movement in the West and as one of the most influential reform groups in antebellum America. As the first college to admit men and women of all races, and with a faculty and community comprised of outspoken abolitionists, Oberlin supported a cadre of activist missionaries devoted to emancipation, even if that was through unconventional methods or via an abandonment of strict ideological consistency. Their philosophy was a color-blind composite of various schools of antislavery thought aimed at supporting the best hope of success. Though historians have embraced Oberlin as a potent symbol of egalitarianism, radicalism, and religious zeal, Morris is the first to portray the complete history behind this iconic antislavery symbol.

In this book, Morris shifts the focus of generations of antislavery scholarship from the East and demonstrates that the West's influence was largely responsible for a continuous infusion of radicalism that helped the movement stay true to its most progressive principles.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781469618289
Publisher:	The University of North Carolina Press
Publication date:	09/02/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	352
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

J. Brent Morris is professor of history at Clemson University.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xi

Abbreviations xv

Introduction: Facts Are Sometimes Stranger Than Fiction 1

1 To Save the Godless West: Revivalism, Abolition, and the Founding of Oberlin 12

2 The Worthies of Oberlin: Antislavery Expansion in the Late 1830s 40

3 A City upon a Hill: Utopian Oberlin 61

4 A Hotbed of Abolitionism 81

5 All the Truly Wise or Truly Pious Have the Same End in View: Oberlin and Abolitionist Schism 108

6 The Tyrant's Grapple by Our Vote, We'll Loosen from Our Brother's Throat: Oberlin, Free Soil, and the Fight for Equal Rights 132

7 We Must Watch and Improve This Tide: Oberlin Confronts the Slave Power, 1850-1858 161

8 That Railroad Center at Which All Branches Converged: Oberlin and the Underground Railroad 187

9 This Drama of Genuine Manhood and Courage: Oberlin and the Fight for Freedom 212

Epilogue: Be Not Conformed to This World 239

Notes 249

Works Cited 303

Index 323

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Oberlin, Hotbed of Abolitionism is a superbly conceptualized and deeply researched book that makes an important contribution to abolition studies, utopian studies, and studies of antebellum reform. It is the first book to explore in detail Oberlin’s role in ending slavery and obtaining social equality. More than any other study, it highlights the role of western reserve abolition societies in precipitating war and ending slavery.” — John Stauffer, Harvard University

“This book stands as a very well-written, tightly focused, and deeply ramifying history. J. Brent Morris narrates Oberlin’s long-term importance in the struggle to end slavery and racial injustice during the nineteenth century. Illuminating the national importance of what we often think of as a highly local story, it is an important piece of scholarship and a very enjoyable read.” — Richard S. Newman, Rochester Institute of Technology

Editorial Reviews

Provides a thorough overview of the significant role played by Oberlin in abolition and antislavery.” — Journal of American History

“Morris provides an insightful analysis of a college and community at the vanguard of abolition...Scholars and students of American history, antebellum reform, and Ohio history will enjoy Morris’s energetic prose and engaging work.” — American Historical Review

“A necessary and refreshing departure from the standard story of abolitionism.” — The Journal of Southern History

“Will invariably interest those eager to understand the historical relationship between the liberal arts and social activism.” — History of Education Quarterly

“An engaging and well-written narrative. . . . Anyone with an interest in the history of Oberlin, higher education, the abolitionist movement, and researching these topics, should seriously consider adding Oberlin: Hotbed of Abolitionism to their library.” — Journal of African American History

“Beautifully and clearly written, and makes for an enjoyable read for readers of this journal who seek a focused history of the Midwest’s relevance to national politics and activism.” — Middle West Review

From the Publisher