Student Observations and Questions
Dr. Shabazz’s class on Grassroots Activism in the Black Community hosted 2 sessions featuring IN DEFIANCE in the fall of 2024. At the first session Dr. Shabazz introduced the students to IN DEFIANCE. Each student then chose a chapter featuring a Black person and a chapter featuring a white person. Upon completing the reading they each wrote a response to their chosen profiles as well as the questions you see below intended to more deeply engage high school and university readers in the lives of those they had read. At the second session their work was shared with one another and the authors. Here is the work they accomplished.
Chapter 1 - Belinda X
Questions
1. What does it mean to be manumitted compared to emancipated? Which is sought by abolitionists?
2. Why is Belinda Sutton referred to as “Belinda X” in her chapter?
3. How old was Belinda when she was taken from “home” and why is this significant ?
4.Describe the place Belinda calls “home” in 3 to 5 sentences.
5. How many petitions did Belinda have to write according to this text? Why and what impact might it have had on her?
Chapter 2 - Paul Jennings
Questions
1. How could the attempt at freedom of 77 enslaved people on The Pearl affect Paul Jennings’ experience of having been a slave himself and then living as a free man?
2. Which obstacle do you think was the hardest Paul Jennings had to overcome?
3. How might Paul Jennings have had an influence on how slave trade was banned in Washington and for the rest of the United States?
4. What sacrifices did Paul Jennings choose to make to help others connect with their families and loved ones?
5. With what’s going on in the world currently and in recent years, how do you think Paul Jennings would try to make a difference?
Chapter 3 - Sarah Mapps Douglass
Questions
1. How might Sarah Mapps Douglass’ activism been received if she was never affiliated with the Quaker Religious Society of Friends?
2. Despite being a Black woman in antebellum America, Douglass did have the privilege of her parents – and therefore herself – being born free from enslavement. While she and her family still faced intense discrimination, Sarah was able to use her privilege to advocate for women’s rights and the abolition of slavery. In what ways does Douglass’ privilege impact the efficacy of her work? Explain the reasons why this might be the case.
3. Quakerism was an integral part of Douglass’ upbringing and family. Despite this, she exposed the racism within “The Friends.” Was this action a risk to Douglass’ activism, or did it not have much effect? Why?
4. Why do you think Douglass specifically focused on supporting the education of Black women as part of her activism, as opposed to solely the education of women or solely the education of Black people?
5. In 1855, Douglass did choose to marry. Her husband, who was also Black, had several children from a previous marriage. How does the intersection of race and gender impact Douglass and her anti-slavery work?
Chapter 4 - Mary Ellen Pleasant
1. The MEP signature on the note was misread as WEP and the authorities sought a northern white man instead of the southern woman of color who actually contributed $30,000 to Brown’s antislavery activities, or what would
be worth nearly $900,000 in today’s dollars. Why was this kept secret?
2. As Veronica Chambers has noted in her obituary that appeared in the NYTimes Overlooked tribute, Mary Ellen “lived her life between the lines of legitimacy and infamy, servitude and self-invention.” What might this have been like emotionally as well as spiritually?
3. Pleasant was quite a different kind of woman and yet strangely effective and influential ... “Here was a colored woman who became one of the shrewdest business minds of the State. She anticipated the development in oil. She was the trusted confidante of many of the California pioneers such as Ralston, Mills and Booth, and for years was a power in San Francisco affairs
4. Throughout a life that was perhaps more than unconventional, she treasured a bitter hatred for slavery and a certain contempt for white people.” How do you think this affected her actions?
5. “I often wonder what I would have been with an education ... I have let books alone and studied men and women a good deal ... I have always noticed that when I have something to say, people listen. They never go to sleep on me.” What qualifies of Mary Ellen Pleasant contributed to the impact she had on people and the community?
6. “One of Mary Ellen’s strengths throughout her life was the ability to make the most of opportunities. A key to this approach was her capacity to multi-task. While working as a cook - theoretically both invisible and unimportant in the households of the affluent people she served - she would eavesdrop and learn information that proved critical in the successful investments of her inheritance that she made. In the census of 1890, she listed her profession as ‘capitalist.’” How did you react to the various strategies Mary Ellen Pleasant employed to gain influence and become so successful?
Chapter 5 - Henry Highland Garnet
Questions
1. How do you think the threat of violence by the philosophies of abolitionists like Henry Highland Garnet helped overtake non-violent process of abolition as highlighted by Frederick Douglass?
2. What do you think would have been the most effective form of reparation in the 19 th century: mass Black emigration and African development; the slow process of gradual emancipation for Black equality or mass resistance through violent means?
3. What do you think made Garnet’s preacher/sermon/religious style of activism effective? How does faith play a role in resistance?
Questions
Chapter 6 - Mary Ann Shadd Cary
Questions
1. Which obstacle posed the greatest challenge for Ms. Shadd Cary?
2. In what ways did being born to free parents affect her understanding of equality?
3. How does her reaction to Uncle Tom’s Cabin affect how you see it?
4. If Mary Ann and Delia Webster had been around at the same time and in the same area, how do you think they would have viewed each other?
5. What thoughts and emotions do you think led Mary Ann to decide to pursue law school and a law career?
Chapter 7 - Robert Morris
Questions
1. Robert Morris was one of the first Black attorneys in the United States. How has the legal system, in cooperation with or opposition to the legislative and executive branches of governments, contributed or been a barrier to civil rights throughout American history?
2. Morris fought against housing discrimination in Chelsea, Massachusetts. How is housing still used as a method of racial oppression today?
3. Morris led the Massasoit Guards, a Black militia group dedicated to the the protection of the Black community in Boston. How is this a precusor to later groups such as the Black Panthers?
Chapter 8 - John Stewart Rock
Questions
1. Rock’s life was riddled with systemic barriers. How might his personal challenges have shaped his understanding of the law as both a tool for justice and an instrument of oppression?
2. How did Rock’s declaration of “Black is Beautiful” redefine perceptions of Black identity and pride during the abolitionist era?
3. Rock’s declaration of “Black is Beautiful” challenged deeply entrenched racist ideologies. One hundred years later how might this rhetoric have empowered Black communities while also inciting backlash? What risks did Rock face in framing Blackness as inherently valuable and beautiful?
4. Despite his contributions, John Stewart Rock is not as well-known as other abolitionists. What factors might explain this, and how does his legacy compare to contemporaries like Frederick Douglass?
5. Was Rock’s admittance to the Supreme Court Bar more of a symbolic victory or a substantive one for the fight for racial equality? What does this say about the value of representation in oppressive systems?
Chapter 9 - Sarah Parker Remond
Questions
1. In her youth, Remond was turned away due to her race while trying to attend both public and private schools. How might this discrimination have fueled her desire for intellectual freedom and activism throughout her life?
2. How did Remond getting pushed down theatre stairs due to defying seating segregation prove influential in rulings against segregation at the time? Why was this act of defiance important when considering segregation’s past in America?
3. Why do you think Remond stayed in London to pursue her activism against US slavery? How did her fundraising and fighting for British assistance of the Union blockade provide financial support for abolitionism in the US?
4. How did coming from a privileged background at the time for Black Americans aid Sarah in advocating for those who did not receive such privilege?
5. What do you think about the bronze bust honoring Remond in the Massachusetts State House? What do you hope those who see it will learn from her? Which achievements and attitudes of Remond do you think are important regarding current racial discrimination in America?
Chapter 10 - Abraham Galloway
Questions
1. If Abraham Galloway was alive today what aspects of society do you think he would focus his efforts on changing?
2. How might Galloway’s experiences inform his approach?
3. How do Galloway’s methods of achieving social change compare to conventional strategies?
4. What can be learned from his approach to seeking/obtaining social justice then and now?
5. What moral dilemmas might Galloway have faced in his role as a spy during the Civil War?
Chapter 11 - Francis Pastorius
Questions
1. In what ways did Pastorius’ writings persuade others and promote his ideals?
2. How can we relate this to the power of communication in advocacy today?
3. How can Pastorius’ courage to stand against slavery inspire contemporary leaders to face the ethical challenges of today’s society?
4. How can the 1688 anti-slavery petition relate to the power of communication in advocacy today?
5. How might working with 3 fellow Quakers both enhance and challenge their efforts?
Chapter 12 - Benjamin Lay
Questions
1. In what ways did Lay’s theatrical demonstration of piercing a bag of pokeberry juice within a Bible showcasing the blood on the hands of the Quakers who did not oppose slavery prove to be effective? How does his demonstration compare to other modern examples of dramatic political gestures?
2. Why did hearing horrific stories from enslaved people in Barbados motivate Lay to hold prayer meetings in the homes of enslaved people? Do you think it was important to Lay that Quakers were some of the people performing such atrocities?
3. How did not purchasing commercially made garments relate to Lay’s issues with enslavement? How do you think this relates to modern-day boycotts of textile industries and the prison industrial complex?
4. Why do you think Lay invited the white child of slave owners of a young, Black girl to his cave? Do you think this method of showing irony within the family’s values proved useful?
5. Why do you think that Lay’s physical struggles caused him to “identify more with the oppressed than with the oppressors”?
Chapter 13 - Anthony Benezet
Questions
1. What aspects of Benezet’s life as an educator impacted you?
2. How did learning about Benezet’s funeral affect you?
3. Why did the Benezet family have their estate taken away?
4. How much was Anthony Benezet paid during his first teaching job? How does that speak to his character ?
5. What significance does Benezet’s will have for you? How does it compare to reparations?
Chapter 14 - Moses Brown
Questions
1. What was the key factor that brought Moses Brown to end his merchant career as a slave trader?
2. How did Moses Brown’s new-found interest in becoming a Quaker help him see enslaved people differently?
3. How did Moses Brown dedicate his efforts/contribute to help put an end to the slave trace in Providence, Rhode Island and for the United States as a whole?
4. How did Moses Brown’s family’s name and power in Rhode Island help him with his contributions to abolitionist.
5. With what’s going on in the world currently and in recent years what and how do you think Moses Brown would try to make a difference?
6. What is your view of President Ruth Simmons’ efforts to have Brown make reparations for its history with enslavement?
Chapter 15 - Elizabeth Buffum Chace
Questions
1. If Chace’s memoirs had not survived, how would the narrative of abolitionism and women’s rights in her time differ? What do we lose when stories like hers are excluded from history?
2. Chace’s work bridged abolitionism and feminism. As we “excavate” her life today, what forgotten cultural practices or movements might her activism reveal about the 19th century?
3. Chace’s activism often went against societal norms, even within her progressive Quaker community. What moral compromises do activists face when navigating both their ideals and the realities of their time?
4. How would modern movements like Black Lives Matter or #MeToo interpret and integrate Chace’s dual advocacy for abolition and women’s rights? Could she serve as a bridge between these causes?
5. Chace’s Quaker roots emphasized peace, but abolition often demanded aggressive actions. How might she have rationalized the tension between maintaining pacifism and supporting resistance?
Chapter 16 - Jane Swisshelm
Questions
1. Swisshelm was a journalist. What role does journalism play in the fight for civil rights? How is the press abused or silenced by those in power today?
2. Swisshelm once led a campaign advocating that the federal government punish Sioux Indians for their violence against settlers. How can an abolitionist hold contradictory views like this?
Chapter 17 - John Gregg Fee
Questions
1. What impact did Fee’s age possibly have on his activism?
2. What impact did Fee’s religious faith have on his abolitionism commitment?
3. How do you see the role of white people in combatting racism given the model John G. Fee provides?
4. What might have been the effect of having to be mindful of the threat of violence from other Christians at all times as was true for Fee?
5. How does John G. Fee’s life/work affect you?
Chapter 18 - Delia Webster
Questions
1. How may Delia have inspired her niece in her pursuit of medical school?
2. What are your thoughts about her being the only female prisoner at the time?
3.There was little to no mention of her 9 other siblings in this reading. What part may they have played in her abolitionist upbringing?
4. How did Newton Craig exercise agency by assisting Delia in being freed from prison despite having closely related enemies to her?
5. How do Delia’s actions relate to those of other abolitionists you’ve heard of?
Chapter 19 - Sallie Holley
Questions
1. How does Sallie’s strength as a public speaker make itself apparent in her approach to abolitionism?
2. Was it important for women’s suffrage to proceed Black suffrage and how did Sallie manifest her views on this topic?
3. Do you think Sallie was able to achieve more as an abolitionist because she was white? What does this say about the abolitionist movement?
4. What were the unique challenges Sallie faced I her life’s work?
5. What do you think the true purpose of the British Slavery Abolition Act was?
Chapter 20 - Graceanna Lewis
Questions
1. Graceanna Lewis was a white, female abolitionist in the mid-1800s. How does her identity impact her abolitionism?
2. Lewis was both an abolitionist and a naturalist, but she was notably against the theory of evolution (which was beginning to gain popularity). How might this ideology she holds negatively impact her social advocacy?
3. How does Lewis use her privilege as a white woman to bring about social change? How effective do you think her methods were?
4. What risks did Lewis take for the progression of societal change?
5. What conclusions about abolitionism and social justice advocacy can be drawn from the comparison between Lewis’s appeal and Martin Luther King Jr.’s letter?