Voice of the fugitive: Henry Bibb and 'racial uplift' in Canada West, 1851-1852
Date
2001
Authors
Stanton, Susan Marion
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Abstract
The Voice of the Fugitive, Canada's first black newspaper, began publication on January 1, 1851. This thesis discusses the topics presented in the Voice of the Fugitive and the paper's editor, Henry Bibb. Black leader Henry Bibb established his bi-weekly newspaper in Canada West to promote causes that he felt would strengthen Canada's black community. Bibb used his paper to promote antislavery and to advance the ideology of 'racial elevation'. Racial elevation, also known as racial uplift, was an attempt to refute discriminatory stereotypes and a quest for respectability for blacks. Bibb believed that adopting values associated with the white middle class would help foster self-respect among black Canadians and demonstrate black respectability to whites. Bibb and the Voice of the Fugitive consistently urged black Canadians to build a better life and uplift their race. Values such as abolition, education, temperance, religion, land-owning, and agriculture were championed in the pages of the Voice of the Fugitive.