|
Slavery and Abolition |
| The "peculiar institution" of slavery challenged the newly formed
United States as well as Dickinson College until the Civil War. Even
though the college sat just north of the Mason-Dixon Line, its largely
populated southern student body held pro-slavery views. The faculty, though,
due to its higher education tended to teach their students the
importance of equality among all living things. The issue of slavery itself came in close contact with Dickinson College on numerous occasions. The McClintock Riots, named after Professor John McClintock, in 1847 over runaway slaves and the Dred Scott Decision, which involved three Dickinsonians, are just two examples of Dickinson's involvement with slavery on the local and national front. Within this section one will learn more about Dickinson's involvement with slavery and abolition on these two levels. |
|
by Cynthia Mackey, '03 No Dickinsonian has said, "Dickinson College made me an abolitionist." Yet, they will attribute many influences at Dickinson on their decision to become an abolitionist. A clear example of this is Moncure Daniel Conway, class of 1849. |