Independent Scholar, San Diego, California, USA
Glen McClish
Department of Rhetoric and Writing Studies, San Diego State
University, San Diego, California, USA
Abstract:
African-American rhetoric of the early Republic has been largely unexplored by rhetorical scholars. Addressing this gap in the scholarship, this study analyzes two intricately related forms of discourse: late eighteenth-century petitions and speeches celebrating the 1808 abolition of the international slave trade to the United States. Both sets of texts contribute to the expression of an African-American public voice, build upon
and critique American ideals while retaining a proud sense of African heritage, exploit the available generic conventions, develop increasingly radical appeals, and feature arguments that transcend local issues to
engage general questions of identity and history.
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An abundance of information on the petitions and request made to official by slaves, These slaves were clever enough to describe their awareness of national and global struggle to freedom. I am impressed that these descendants of Africa expressed being a part of two countries—Africa and America. Although some of the petitions were militant and built on forceful moral authority, the descendants of Africa were not granted freedom. This article help dispel the myth that the African slaves was illiterate as regard the “American language.” With out a doubt the early African American rhetoric was understood but ignored.
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