2.18/2.19 Key Terms

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Abolition

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The movement to end slavery, which gained momentum in the 19th century in the U.S., Latin America, and Europe.

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Emigration

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The act of leaving one’s country to settle in another. In this context, it refers to African Americans relocating outside the U.S. to seek freedom and self-determination.

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Black Nationalism

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A movement advocating for Black unity, pride, self-reliance, and sometimes the creation of independent Black nations or communities.

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Self-Determination

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The right of people to govern themselves and make decisions about their own future, often associated with movements for Black autonomy.

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Dred Scott Decision (1857)

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A Supreme Court ruling that declared African Americans were not U.S. citizens and had no legal rights, reinforcing racial discrimination and influencing some to consider emigration.

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Anti-Emigrationists

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African Americans who opposed emigration, believing in their right to U.S. citizenship and fighting for racial equality within the country.

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Birthright Citizenship

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The legal principle that anyone born in a country is automatically a citizen. Anti-emigrationists argued that African Americans were entitled to U.S. citizenship under this principle.

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Transatlantic Abolitionism

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The international movement, particularly in the U.S., Britain, and the Caribbean, aimed at ending slavery and advocating for racial equality.

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Fugitive Slave Acts

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Laws that allowed for the capture and return of escaped enslaved people, even in free states, reinforcing the lack of protection for African Americans in the U.S.

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Radical Resistance

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A strategy of direct and often militant action, including revolts and violent resistance, to combat slavery and oppression.