The Collection

An Analysis of David Walker's Appeal [Rough Draft]

          Sometimes, words merely fuel a fire, but other times, they set the world ablaze. The latter was the case with the words of a militant African American writer, David Walker. In 1829, David Walker’s Appeal in Four Articles; Together with a Preamble, to the Coloured Citizens of the World, but in Particular and Very Expressly, to Those of the United States of America was published and distributed throughout the country. While some claim that Walker’s condemnation of “Christian Americans” as the cruelest oppressors in existence was unsubstantiated and biased, I maintain that his case was not only valid, but was just and unbiased.

         Throughout his Appeal, Walker effectively referenced similar instances of oppression in history and logically evaluated them to justify his reproach of the Christian Americans. Though not excusing their actions, Walker noted that the Spartans had “frivolous pretext” for their enslavement of the Helots. When they were conquered, they were taken as prisoners of war. Of America, he feverishly stated, “I have been for years troubling the pages of historians, to find out what our fathers have done to the white Christians of America, to merit such condign punishment as they have inflicted on them, and do continue to inflict on us their children.” He continued on to state that he has discovered no such account of pretext for American slavery. “I have therefore, come to the immovable conclusion that they (American) have, and do continue to punish us for nothing else, but for enriching them and their country.” In this way, the Christian Americans’ oppression of generations of Africans was even more unjust than the instances similar to that of the Spartans in which pretext existed.

           Walker also referred to the Egyptian enslavement of the Israelites to validate his condemnation of Christian Americans. He pointed to the story of Joseph, who was entrusted with Pharaoh’s land. He continued on to question the “American people themselves” as to when a colored person was ever given authority over anything in their oppressor’s land. Walker also pointed to Pharaoh’s gracious act of giving Joseph and his descendants ‘the best of the land’ to make their home. Walker hotly retorted, “I ask them [Christian Americans] where is the most barren spot of land which they have given unto us?” Furthermore, despite their different statues in society, Israelites and Egyptians were allowed to intermarry. This vastly contrasts the conditions in America, where laws were put in place to prevent those of color from mixing with whites.

            All of the former points are a mere taper next to the iceberg that floated on the consciousness of the Christian Americans. The underlying and more sinister fact about the oppression of Africans was that Christian Americans did not see Africans as fellow human beings. In a passion so inflamed, that time, itself, has had no affect on its burning, Walker raged, “I call upon the professing Christians… I call upon the very tyrant himself, to show me a page of history… which maintain, that the Egyptians heaped the insupportable insult upon the children of Israel, by telling them that they were not of the human family.” During this time, this outrageous notion was so commonly held, even Thomas Jefferson, “a man of such great learning,” subscribed to it. This blasphemous claim dissevers the Christian Americans’ abominable actions from those of all other slave holders and substantiated his firm criticism. By providing factual accounts of history and objectively comparing them to the actions of Christian Americans, Walker unbiasedly validated his claim that even by the loathsome standards of slavery and oppression that existe across the world, Christian American were much crueler in their systematic oppression of Africans.

            Engulfed by that sacred fire that burns from within, Walker further justified his condemnation of the Christian Americans by challenging them on the integrity of their own religious convictions. Throughout his Appeal, he referenced to the “God of Justice” to make the point that one day, God will answer the prays of the oppressed. “Does the Lord condescend to hear their cries and see their tears in consequence of oppression? Will he let the oppressor rest comfortable and happy always?” If Christian Americans truly observed this ideal, they would realize that they will one-day warrant God’s wrath for their cruel and inhumane acts against so many of His people. Additionally, Walker explained how slavery opposed the Christian ideal that God is the one and only master of all mankind. “All persons… who are not blinded by the God of this world… who are able to lay aside prejudice… who are willing to admit that God made man to serve Him alone, and that man should have no other Lord or Lords but Himself—that God Almighty is the sole proprietor of master of the WHOLE human family…” It would follow that slavery contradicted this principle as the oppressor took full authority over another person and forced them into servitude.

              The most humbling of Walker’s religious arguments spoke to the shared nature of both the Christian Americans and the oppressed Africans. “Are we MEN!!—I ask you, O my brethren!... Did our Creator make us to slaves to dust and ash like ourselves? … Have they not to answer for the deeds done in the body as well as we?” These simple yet powerful questions bring to light the fundament Christian ideal that we are all destined to parish one day. Despite our circumstance, color, or station in life, we all will one day be called to answer for the conduct by which we chose to live during out time here on Earth. Walker raised these question to challenge Christian Americans to take a hard look in the mirror and realize the severity of their transgressions. By challenging their religious convictions, Walker further justified his condemnation of the Christian Americans by showing that even according to their own moral and religious ideals, which they claim to hold for dearly, their oppression of Africans was wretched.

           In his Appeal, David Walker made these and more arguments to substantiated his claim that Christian Americans were the cruelest oppressors in existence. Through his fiery words, Walker sparked a passion for freedom that burns across time and space. Though a great deal of progress has been made in this country between when he first published his Appeal and now, America still has a long way to travel. It is my hope that the blaze that David Walker set all those years ago will light our way as we continue on.