Emancipation for Slaves or Emancipation for All: Women, Free Speech and the Abolition Movement

Abstract

Women were active participants in the anti-slavery movement. They made up a large portion of professional abolitionists who traveled the country to educate the public on the perils of slavery. Unfortunately, their efforts were hindered by their gender, and it led to the restriction of their rights to speak publicly on the issue of slavery. This paper chronicles freedom of speech and the abolition movement and its impact on the women who fought for their rights to share in the emancipation fight. It’s a story about the efficacy of language and its impact on history and social change. The modern Women’s Rights Movement did not begin as a fight for equality, but as a fight for freedom of speech.