Oral Presentations
The Threat of "Slave Insurrection”: Differing Views Through the Eyes of the Media in the Northern and Southern United States
Presentation Type
Presentation
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Claire Arcenas
Faculty Mentor’s Department
History
Abstract / Artist's Statement
Title: The Threat of "Slave Insurrection”: Differing Views Through the Eyes of the Media in the Northern and Southern United States.
Abstract: My research investigates how slave insurrections were reported on differently in the North and the South between 1800 and 1865 and how these media accounts reveal the range of attitudes held by both Black and White Americans concerning slavery, violence, and abolition during this period. My primary source base comprises newspapers printed before, during, and after the Civil War. For example, I rely heavily on the New York Times, which printed articles written in both the North and the South. While there is a lot of historical scholarship on famous slave insurrections or revolts (or the threat of them), there is not as much work on the important role the media, especially newspapers, played in shaping American’s attitudes towards these events. My research will help us better understand the nation-wide impact that media reports on violent (or possibly violent) resistance to the institution of slavery across the antebellum period. This research will delve into the topic further about the attitudes slave holders and non-slave holders had in the North and the South. The attitudes and circumstances surrounding slavery changed dramatically during the 19th century with the introduction of slave abolition.
Category
Humanities
The Threat of "Slave Insurrection”: Differing Views Through the Eyes of the Media in the Northern and Southern United States
UC 327
Title: The Threat of "Slave Insurrection”: Differing Views Through the Eyes of the Media in the Northern and Southern United States.
Abstract: My research investigates how slave insurrections were reported on differently in the North and the South between 1800 and 1865 and how these media accounts reveal the range of attitudes held by both Black and White Americans concerning slavery, violence, and abolition during this period. My primary source base comprises newspapers printed before, during, and after the Civil War. For example, I rely heavily on the New York Times, which printed articles written in both the North and the South. While there is a lot of historical scholarship on famous slave insurrections or revolts (or the threat of them), there is not as much work on the important role the media, especially newspapers, played in shaping American’s attitudes towards these events. My research will help us better understand the nation-wide impact that media reports on violent (or possibly violent) resistance to the institution of slavery across the antebellum period. This research will delve into the topic further about the attitudes slave holders and non-slave holders had in the North and the South. The attitudes and circumstances surrounding slavery changed dramatically during the 19th century with the introduction of slave abolition.