A Special Offering from Sumner Hall
One of America’s most celebrated crusaders for racial justice was born enslaved in Kent County in 1815. Henry Highland Garnet escaped from New Market (now Chesterville) with his family to New York City in 1824, obtained an excellent education, became a Presbyterian minister, and achieved fame as an abolitionist. Like his fellow escapee from slavery on the Eastern Shore,Frederick Douglass,Garnet traveled throughout the North and Europe to advocate the emancipation of all slaves.Unlike Douglass, Garnet favored the use of physical force as necessary to abolish slavery. During the Civil War, he campaigned for African Americans to join the Union Army. After the war, Garnet remained active in the struggle for racial justice. In 1870, he returned to Kent County to speak at a large rally celebrating passage of the 15th Amendment,which proclaimed the right of all African American males to vote. Garnet spent the last few months of his life serving as the American Ambassador to Liberia, where he was buried in 1882.
Since Henry Highland Garnet is much less well-known today than during his life, George Shivers, a retired Washington College professor, has written two children’s books about the man he calls “a Kent County hero.” The books, illustrated with drawings by Zane Carter, are suitable for elementary school-aged children.
Order copies of these books today! For a suggested donation of $5, plus postage, we will mail your coloring book to you.The suggested donation for the chapter book is $10, plus postage. The cost of postage is $1.50 per book – please add the appropriate amount to the donation for the book(s). We can also arrange a COVID-free place for you to collect your order. Please submit the following order form and mail your check to 206 S. Queen Street, Chestertown, MD 21620. Questions? Please email info@sumnerhall.org or use the form below.
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