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Primary sourcePainting21 October 1835

The Abolition Garrison in Danger, Boston, 1835

Unknown artist · 21 October 1835

A contemporary 1835 print depicting William Lloyd Garrison threatened by a hostile Boston crowd.

This print depicts an actual mob attack on Garrison, showing the violent opposition he faced for his abolitionist work.

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Black-and-white lithograph of a chaotic crowd of men in top hats and frock coats surrounding and pulling at a man in a dark coat who is being dragged across the street. Speech bubbles read phrases such as 'Lynch him' and 'Tar and feathers'. A well-dressed man on the right wears a cloak. Caption at bottom reads 'Boston Oct 21st 1835'.
Unknown artist, The Abolition Garrison in Danger, Boston, Oct. 21, 1835.

About this source

What it is

This is a lithograph print made in 1835 by an unknown artist, titled 'The Abolition Garrison in Danger and the Narrow Edge of the Scotch Ambassador, Boston, Oct. 21, 1835'. It shows a crowd of men in top hats and frock coats surrounding and pulling at a man being dragged across a street, with speech bubbles reading threats such as 'Lynch him' and 'Tar and feathers'.

Why it matters

The print records a real event: an anti-abolitionist mob attack on Garrison in Boston in October 1835. It shows how dangerous and unpopular the antislavery cause was even in the North, and how deeply some Americans opposed abolitionists. Images like this, made soon after the event, helped shape public memory of Garrison as a man who risked his life for his beliefs.

Look closer

  • What do the speech bubbles tell us about the mob's intentions?
  • Why might someone make and distribute a print like this soon after the event?
  • What does this image suggest about attitudes toward abolitionists in 1835 Boston?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of William Lloyd Garrison on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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