William Lloyd Garrison (1805-1879) was an American abolitionist, social reformer, and publisher of the pro-abolition newspaper: the Liberator. Garrison was unique for his time by demanding “immediate emancipation” of all slaves.
William Lloyd Garrison biography.com
Using the Liberator as his voice, Garrison spread his convictions all across the North (his newspaper was not sold in the south). In his very first editorial, Emerson declared “I am in earnest — I will not equivocate — I will not excuse — I will not retreat a single inch — AND I WILL BE HEARD.”
And heard Garrison was, though the subscription of the Liberator never exceeded 3,000 subscriptions, his message spread across the United States, and was used as ammunition by abolitionists up until the Civil War came to a close in 1865.
After Lee’s surrender at Appomattox and the Union victory, Garrison closed the liberator and focused on other issues such as women’s rights and temperance. The Liberator, and Garrison, however, will forever be known in the annals of American media as the loudest voices of abolition.
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