The Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, Pa. will open a new exhibit on the pre-Civil War attempts to abolish slavery. Here is the description from the museum:
Our newest changing exhibit Pursuit of Freedom, the Abolition of Slavery, opens on Saturday, June 17, 2023.
The exhibit will cover the early attempts to abolish slavery in the United States and actions that ultimately brought an end to slavery with the 13th Amendment, but only after a devastating Civil War. Abolitionist leaders such as Frederick Douglas, Sojourner Truth, and John Brown will be highlighted. Also featured will be Abolitionist newspapers such as William Lloyd Garrison’s The Liberator. Political compromises between slave and free states temporarily kept the nation from tearing itself apart, but legislation such as the Fugitive Slave Act, Supreme Court rulings Like Dred Scott, and insurrections led by Nat Turner and John Brown pushed the nation closer to Civil War.
Museum Curator Brett E. Kelly says, “Through the efforts of dedicated abolitionists, the injustice of slavery was pushed to the forefront of the American consciousness.”
“We are excited to share the history of abolition with our visitors. We hope that they will discover how this small group of people – white and black, free, and formerly enslaved – worked for decades to end slavery in the United States,” said Jeffrey L. Nichols, CEO of the museum. “We are also planning a symposium on abolition to coincide with the exhibition set for Saturday, October 21 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, where we will further explore the national and local story of abolition.”
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