Early American Newspapers: Series 18, 1825-1879

New England newspapers played a pivotal role in shaping the national discourse around slavery and civil rights in the decades leading up to and following the American Civil War. Abolitionists, political parties, and religious leaders all used newspapers to sway readers to their causes, making such papers essential material for researchers studying racial and social justice movements. Early American Newspapers, Series 18, 1825-1879: Racial Awakening in the Northeast brings these newspapers together in a fully searchable online resource, offering research and teaching opportunities across a variety of academic disciplines.

Primary sources from the birthplace of American abolition
The history of abolition in the United States reached a critical juncture in New England in the 1820s, as the Protestant revival known as the Second Great Awakening reverberated through the region. Because New England churches wielded substantial power, the idea that slavery was morally reprehensible soon spread from places of worship and religious groups to politics and social life. Since the Northeastern states had already outlawed slavery, abolitionists set their sights on ending slavery nationwide.

As debates over slavery and social justice issues unfolded and gained momentum, New England’s newspapers both covered and influenced these movements. Early American Newspapers, Series 18, 1825-1879: Racial Awakening in the Northeast is a curated collection of publications essential for the research and understanding of abolitionism, the American Civil War, Reconstruction, and other important issues and events in the evolution of racial justice. This distinctive archive includes firsthand accounts from escaped enslaved people, as well as editorials and reportage on topics such as the Underground Railroad, slavery in Western states, the economics of slave labor, the American Civil War, emancipation, the widespread injustices of the Reconstruction era and much more.

A curated collection of notable newspapers
Like other Early American Newspapers series, Series 18 offers many significant titles listed in the authoritative bibliographies of early American newspapers by Clarence S. Brigham and Winifred Gregory. A distinguished academic advisory board guided the selection process. Sourced solely from the American Antiquarian Society, notable publications include the Herald of Freedom (Concord, NH), Green Mountain Freeman (Montpelier, VT), Cradle of Liberty (Boston, MA), The North and South (New Britain, CT), Maine State Press (Portland, ME), Boston Evening Transcript (Boston, MA), Providence Daily Post (Providence, RI) and dozens of others.