Honors Keystone: How Abolitionist Newspapers Shaped Public Opinion Before the Civil War

Authors

• Logan Crowell, St. John Fisher University

Document Type

Poster Presentation

Publication Date

4-17-2026

Keywords

fsc2026

Abstract

This project examines how abolitionist and antislavery newspapers shaped public opinion in the decade leading up to the American Civil War. Specifically with a comparative analysis between Frederick Douglass's newspapers The North Star, Frederick Douglass' Paper, and Douglass' Monthly, and William Lloyd Garrison's The Liberator. Using selected issues from both publications, along with mainstream newspapers such as Harper's Weekly, this project analyzes how each paper reported on major national events from 1850-1860 and to what extent each paper shaped how people understood slavery and related controversies. The findings of this comparison suggest that while both editors advocated for the end of slavery the differences in tone, framing, and perspective shaped how each paper presented its arguments. These differences shaped how audiences engaged with antislavery arguments and current events, as well as highlighting the broader role that abolitionist print media played in influencing public sentiment preceding the Civil War.

Comments

Poster presented at the 2026 Fisher Showcase, St. John Fisher University, April 17, 2026.

Publication Information

Crowell, Logan, "Honors Keystone: How Abolitionist Newspapers Shaped Public Opinion Before the Civil War" (2026). Fisher Showcase 2026. Paper 88.
https://fisherpub.sjf.edu/fsc2026/88

Please note that the Publication Information provides general citation information and may not be appropriate for your discipline. To receive help in creating a citation based on your discipline, please visit https://libguides.sjf.edu/citations.