Henry Highland Garnet's "Address to the Slaves"

Henry Highland Garnet gave numerous addresses in his lifetime. Despite the opposition his 1843 address received, Garnet remained popular among anti-slavery and abolitionist societies. On many occasions, he was invited to speak at events, and those who wrote about his addresses in the papers recalled his eloquence and how he moved the audience. 

While we do not have complete records of all of Garnet's orations, it is possible to gain an idea of what he talked about, as newspaper writers recounted parts that they found most striking. Garnet was specially busy after the Emancipation Proclamation. In February 1865, Garnet gave an address called "Memorial Discourse" in the Hall of House of Representatives. The address was printed and sold for fifty cents. Garnet was further invited to speak in Emancipation anniversaries.

Click here to read Memorial Discourse and use the map below to explore Garnet's orations in different parts of the Northeast. 

Page contributed by Samantha de Vera.