The great American abolitionist, writer and Those enslaved TELLING THE STORY: orator Frederick suffered greatly during Douglass once the Middle Passage, or Enslavement said, “Slavery is the transatlantic crossing, great test question and upon arrival, endured unimaginable of African People of our age and Solomon Northup Twelve Years a Slave physical, cultural, and in the United States nation.” Now, 400 intellectual brutality years after the first by their enslavers. This inhumanity is well African people were Buffalo & Erie County documented in shipping records, bills of sale, Public Library captured, enslaved Slave Auction advertisements and personal and transported to Slave Ship Diagram accounts of the the United States, the enslaved. repercussions of this horrific practice remain with us today. This Library exhibit highlights its Supporters of History of Slavery Collection slavery were and, perhaps more typically enslavers ambitiously, to provoke themselves. community conversations Early arguments for slavery were about our country’s Notice of Slave Auction history of enslavement simplistic and merely and its continuing to defend against On display through July 2020 attacks made against the aftermath. practice. Later arguments Downtown Central Library or rationalizations were From antiquity to 1 Lafayette Square protective, religious and modern day, enslavement has existed racist. Slavery was an Grosvenor Room in one form or another. Institutionalized institution of power and Rare Book Display Room slavery—mostly for the powerful people who Ring of Knowledge agricultural labor— protected it to protect Main floor thrived in the American their own profits. English colonies and was central to the Protections for slavery Buffalo & Erie County Public development and were embedded in Cotton is King and Olaudah Equiano - economic growth of America’s founding , The Life of Olaudah Equiano Pro-Slavery Arguments LIBRARYwww.BuffaloLib.org the United States. documents; enslavers 1860 dominated the federal government, Supreme One of the most famous anti-slavery works A variety of FREE programs, including Court and Senate from 1787 was Uncle Tom’s Cabin, or, Life Among the public and classroom tours are available. through 1860. Laws and Lowly, written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Visit www.BuffaloLib.org or call court cases were varied and was intended to evoke empathy. The South 716-858-8900 for details. viewed the work as abolitionist snobbery. numerous, including the

Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 The Telling the Story exhibit would not have been possible without support from members of the local and the Dred Scott decision community and the following generous sponsors: of 1857. Former President Raymond M. Melancon Annuity Fund John Quincy Adams, on Julian R. & Varue W. Oishei Foundation the other hand, successfully Rand Capital Corporation Argument of John Mr. Patrick Martin, Esq., argued the case defending Quincy Adams, 1841 The Challenger, Buffalo Criterion, Cinque and the Africans of Greyline Outdoor Advertising, the Amistad uprising. WBLK Radio and WUFO Radio.

Resistance to enslavement was frequent in both subtle and revolutionary ways. Captured For more information on the exhibits Africans would starve themselves or jump and collections of the overboard during the Middle Passage, rather Grosvenor Rare Book Room, than endure enslavement. Maintaining one’s Harriet Beecher Stowe, visit http://bit.ly/1ap3LHE original cultural practices was, in itself, a form Uncle Tom’s Cabin, or, Life among the Lowly of resistance. There were many examples of organized rebellion as well, such as those led Free & open to the public. by Denmark Vesey in 1822 and Nat Turner in Exhibit Hours: 1831. Additional display material in the Library’s Ring of Knowledge highlights the local stories Monday 8:30 am - 6 pm Many creative works were of individuals who were among the first settlers Tuesday 8:30 am - 6 pm written in response to and builders of Buffalo, who strived for civil Wednesday 8:30 am - 6 pm Thursday 8:30 am - 8 pm slavery, including poetry rights and assisted freedom seekers on the Underground Railroad. Friday 8:30 am - 6 pm and music. Books of anti- Saturday 8:30 am - 6 pm slavery songs were published Sunday 12 noon - 5 pm* to fulfill demand for use at *Closed on Sundays in the summer rallies, spirituals, marches and conventions. Some of William Wells Brown the lyrics are based upon Buffalo & Erie County Public The Anti Slavery Harp: the anti-slavery poetry of A Collection of Songs LIBRARYwww.BuffaloLib.org the day. (716) 858-8900