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Primary sourceNewspaper article11 April 1845

The Liberator, April 11, 1845

William Lloyd Garrison · 11 April 1845

Front page of Garrison's weekly abolitionist newspaper, published in Boston and edited by Garrison himself.

Garrison founded, published, and edited this newspaper, making it a direct record of his own voice and activism.

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Scan of the front page of The Liberator newspaper, dated Boston, Friday, April 11, 1845, Vol. XV, No. 15. The masthead reads The Liberator with the motto 'Our country is the world, our countrymen are all mankind' and 'William Lloyd Garrison, Editor.' The page is densely packed with columns of small print, including articles under headings such as 'Refuge of Oppression' and 'The Slave Question,' and a banner with the date and whole number 743.
The Liberator, front page, 11 April 1845. Edited by William Lloyd Garrison, Boston.

About this source

What it is

This is the front page of The Liberator, dated Boston, Friday, April 11, 1845. It was the weekly newspaper William Lloyd Garrison published and edited. The masthead carries his name and the paper's motto, 'Our country is the world, our countrymen are all mankind.'

Why it matters

The Liberator was one of the most influential anti-slavery newspapers in American history. Garrison used it to campaign for the immediate end of slavery, publishing articles like those seen here under headings such as 'The Slave Question.' It shows how he used the press as his main tool of activism.

Look closer

  • What does the motto in the masthead tell you about Garrison's beliefs?
  • Why might a weekly newspaper be a powerful tool for a reform movement?
  • What kind of reader do you think this paper was written for?

This newspaper article 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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