Henry Highland Garnet
The Following Is An Excerpt From The Classic Oration:
"Brethren, arise, arise! Strike for your lives and liberties. Now is the day and the hour. Let every slave throughout the land do this, and the days of slavery are numbered. You cannot be more oppressed than you have been -- you cannot suffer greater cruelties than you have already. Rather die freemen than live to be slaves. Remember that you are FOUR MILLIONS!"
Garnet Delivered The "Call To Rebellion" Speech To Over 20 Delegates From 12 States Attending The Convention. It Sparked Discussion Among The Attendees, As Well As A Lively National Debate. In Response, Frederick Douglass Spoke Out Against The Speech, To The Convention. Garnet, In Turn, Responded To Douglass, Speaking For An Hour And A Half. His Appeal Would Not Sway The Delegates, However. The Convention Did Not Sanction Garnet's Approach To Abolition.
Henry Highland Garnet Was Born A Slave, December 23, 1815, Near New Market, Maryland. As One Of The Prominent Members Of The Ant-Slavery Movement, He Opposed Moral Suasion, While Advocating More Political Action.
In 1864 He Was Appointed Pastor Of The 15th Street Presbyterian Church In Washington. During This Period He Became The First Black American To Deliver A Sermon Before The House Of Representatives. He Also Worked For The Freedmen's Bureau, Where He Was Involved In Developing Programs To Help Former Slaves.
In December, 1881, Henry Highland Garnet Was Appointed Minister To Liberia. He Died Two Months Later On February, 13 ,1882.
"In Order For Black History To Live, We Must Continue To Breathe Life Into It." - Hubert Gaddy, Jr.