Appeal…to the Colored Citizens of the World…

African American David Walker was born there as a free man. Later, he moved to Boston, where he integrated with the city's thriving African American community, joining the fight against slavery and contributing to the first African American newspaper in the country. His Appeal...to the Colored Citizens of the World, a collection of articles that criticized the influential colonization movement and demanded the rapid abolition of slavery, was published in 1829. Walker presented a compelling vision in his Appeal that incorporated natural rights, Christianity, and the founding principles of the United States. Walker claimed that slavery went against fundamental Christian principles and the promise of freedom and equality in the Declaration of Independence.

David Walker's Appeal...to the Colored Citizens of the World caused outrage and fear in slave owners as he called for slaves to actively fight for their freedom and to rise up and revolt against their owners. He distributed copies to slaves by placing copies into the pockets of clothing that he sold to sailors traveling to the South. Even the most ardent white abolitionists, like William Lloyd Garrison, objected to his violent language, which resulted in legislation that prohibited slaves from learning to read or write.

Walker's body was discovered nearby his business shortly after The Appeal's publication, and it is generally accepted that Walker's death was likely caused by the radical Appeal. Walker's Appeal...to the Colored Citizens of the World was extensively reprinted after his death, and despite being heavily laden with violence, it served to highlight the ferocity with which some slaves were prepared to fight for their freedom.

Publication date: 1829

Author: David Walker