David Walker Appeal #1249

Caption from poster__      David Walker Appeal   David Walker’s Appeal, arguably the most radical of all anti-slavery documents, caused a great stir  when it was published in September of 1829 with its call for slaves to revolt against their masters. David Walker, a free black originally from the  South wrote, “. . .they want us for their slaves,  and think nothing of murdering us. therefore, if there is an attempt made by us, kill or be killed and believe this, that it is no more harm for you  to kill a man who is trying to kill you, than it is for you to take a drink of water when thirsty.” Even the outspoken William Lloyd Garrison objected to Walker’s approach in an editorial about the Appeal.   The goal of the Appeal was to instill pride in its black readers and give hope that change  would someday come. It spoke out against  colonization, a popular movement that sought to move free blacks to a colony in Af