Ep 11. The Abolitionists, Part One: 1820s-1838 (1)

In American Experience season 24 episode 11, titled "The Abolitionists, Part One: 1820s-1838 (1)," viewers are transported back to the first half of the 19th century in America. This documentary unfolds the story of the abolitionist movement and its key figures — William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and John Brown. It explores how they challenged the status quo of slavery and questioned the morality of a nation that allowed it to thrive.

The episode takes us through the early years of the abolitionist movement, starting with the Missouri Compromise of 1820. The legislation prohibited the expansion of slavery into new territories, creating a geographic line of demarcation that would eventually lead to the Civil War. We learn about the various tactics that abolitionists used to spread their message, from publishing newspapers to staging public lectures and debates.

One of the main characters, William Lloyd Garrison, emerges as a key figure in the movement. A radical abolitionist, he founded his newspaper, The Liberator, in 1831, where he regularly published scathing attacks on the institution of slavery. The program highlights Garrison's controversial tactics, such as burning copies of the U.S. Constitution, which he believed supported slavery, and advocating for immediate emancipation, rather than gradual abolition.

The episode also introduces viewers to Frederick Douglass, a former slave turned abolitionist speaker and writer. Douglass's story provides a personal perspective on the horrors of slavery and the urgency of the abolitionist cause. We learn about his tumultuous relationship with Garrison, who initially served as a mentor to him but later became his adversary due to their differing views on abolition.

Another important figure introduced in this episode is Harriet Beecher Stowe, whose novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin" became a cultural phenomenon in the 1850s. Stowe, a devout Christian, used her writing to make a moral argument against slavery, appealing to readers' emotions and sense of humanity. We see how her work catapulted the abolitionist cause into the mainstream and influenced political debates about slavery in the years leading up to the Civil War.

Finally, we learn about John Brown, a white abolitionist who believed that armed insurrection was the only way to end slavery. Brown's story becomes more prominent in the second half of the series, but in this episode, we see how his radical views and violent tactics were initially viewed as extreme by many abolitionists. Nonetheless, Brown's actions foreshadowed the bloodshed and violence that would come to define the Civil War.

Overall, "The Abolitionists, Part One" provides a complex and nuanced portrayal of the people, ideas, and events that shaped the abolitionist movement during its early years. Through a combination of historical reenactments, expert interviews, and archival footage, the episode paints a vivid picture of a time when slavery was still a deeply entrenched part of American society, and those who dared to challenge it risked social ostracism, violence, and even death.