What Made America? The Abolitionists

American History Hit

History Hit

America, History

4.3 • 1.8K Ratings

🗓️ 28 June 2026

⏱️ 59 minutes

🔗️ Recording | Apple Podcasts | RSS

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Summary

In 1831, it looked like enslavement in America would continue forever. 34 years later, it was permanently abolished under the 13th Amendment.

How did that happen? And who made it so?

We've been asking some of our favourite historians for their most important moment in these 250 years of the United States' History.

In this episode, Kellie Carter Jackson returns to talk Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, and all the other amazing people and groups who refused to accept enslavement.

Kellie Carter Jackson is the Michael and Denise Kellen ’68 Associate Professor in the Department of Africana Studies at Wellesley College. She is author of several books, including ‘Force and Freedom: Black Abolitionists and the Politics of Violence' and 'We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black Resistance'.

Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Produced by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Freddy Chick.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Want to explore even more history? Sign up to History Hit, where you will discover history from around the world.
0:07.1	From the American Revolution to prehistoric Scotland, there is plenty to discover. With your subscription, you'll unlock hundreds of hours of exclusive documentaries, with a brand new release every week, exploring everything from the ancient
0:22.4	world to World War II. Just visit history hit.com slash subscribe to bring the past alive.
0:31.3	On July 4th, 1776, an Irish-born American named John Dunlap is given a document, handwritten in
0:41.0	quill pen on parchment. He gets to work, placing every letter and punctuation point in his
0:47.2	printing frame piece by piece. Working through the night, he starts printing his broadsides. As the first copies are drying, the words of
0:56.7	the Declaration of Independence are set in print. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men
1:03.7	are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights,
1:10.1	that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of
1:14.1	happiness. That all men are created equal becomes one of the central dilemmas of American history,
1:21.9	part of an ongoing and defining struggle.
1:28.6	Hello there, welcome to American history at I'm Don Wildman.
1:31.9	For the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we have invited a number
1:37.8	of our favorite guests to discuss their personal favorite moments of our history,
1:42.1	moments that particularly capture the aspirational
1:44.5	spirit of this uniquely American celebration. With me today is Kelly Carter Jackson,
1:50.6	the Michael and Denise Kellan 68, professor in the Department of Africana Studies at Wellesley
1:55.9	College in Massachusetts. She is the author of the award-winning book, Force and Freedom,
2:00.5	Black abolitionists, and the politics of the award-winning book, Force and Freedom, Black Abolitionists and the Politics of Violence, and We Refuse, a forceful history of Black
2:06.5	Resistance, among others.
2:20.7	Kelly, great to see you again. Thanks for your time. All good?
2:23.6	Yes, all good. Thanks so much for having me again.
	...

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