【11/7 今日美史】1837年，废奴主义编辑以利亚·洛夫乔伊被谋杀
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11/7
Elijah P. Lovejoy Murdered
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Who |
What |
Lovejoy was a prominent abolitionist and published a newspaper condemning slavery and slave owners specifically which stirred their ire on more than one occasion. His newspaper press was destroyed in at least three earlier incidents, but that did not dissuade him from spreading his word. On this date an angry mob, motivated by Lovejoy’s rhetoric and fearful of losing business with the neighboring slave state of Missouri attacked the mill Lovejoy had hidden his printing press. A short siege took place with gunfire erupting from both sides. In an effort to prevent the roof from being set on fire, Lovejoy left cover, was spotted, shot and killed. The Press was ultimately broken up and pieces thrown into the river.
Why
significant
The issues of slavery and civil rights in the USA are not new or even fully resolved. Strong rhetoric and its resolution in violence went hand in hand (and can even be seen in modern social media) as a standard recipe since both sides sought to deny the humanity of one group or another making it easier to resort to threats and violent actions. Lovejoy’s rhetoric reportedly never condemned his opposition as people, but it did jeopardize their livelihoods and while their initial intention was only the destruction of his property, he was arguably justified to use deadly force in its defense, resulting in the conflict where he lost his life, but gained martyrdom. Though that was not fully recognized for almost six decades.
Tags
Anti-Slavery Society, “First Casualty of the Civil War.”