Garnet, Henry Highland
1815-1882 · Contribution: 1842-1865
Presbyterian minister; abolitionist; diplomat
Delivered the militant 1843 “Call to Rebellion” speech urging enslaved Americans to rise against their enslavers, later became the first Black American to preach a sermon inside the U.S. House of Representatives in 1865, and served as U.S. Minister to Liberia
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Quick facts
- Born
- 1815, Kent County, Maryland
- Active since
- 1842
- Category
- Religious & Spiritual Leadership
- Best known for
- The militant 'Call to Rebellion'; first Black American to preach in the U.S. House
Impact on the world
Garnet gave Black abolitionism its most militant voice, arguing decades before emancipation that the enslaved had the right to resist by force, a stance credited with influencing John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry.
Sources
- Encyclopædia Britannica
1 more sources and references are available to members.
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