David Walker's Appeal

Since I unfortunately missed Wednesday's class due to a stomach bug, I missed discussing David Walker's piece. I found this reading particularly interesting so I wanted to take a little time to share some thoughts I had about it. I apologize if I repeat anything that was said in class.

One of the reasons that I found this reading so interesting was how Walker supported so many of his arguments with references from the Bible. This is important because we have already read countless pieces where African Americans are mocking the "white Christians" who preach of one thing yet come home and tear families apart and treat human beings as less than animals. Walker adds to this, yet I think he is emphasizing that it is not Christianity that is to be mocked: it is the way that people call themselves 'Christians' yet do not actually live as them.

"..all true hearted Christians and lovers of Jesus Christ, must evidently see the judgments of God displayed....All persons who are acquainted with history , and particularly the Bible...that God made man to serve Him alone, and that man should have no other Lord or Lords but Himself...who can dispense with prejudice long enough to admit that we are men.." ending with basically saying that all who believe this, who actually follow the Bible and the true beliefs of Christianity, will see that slavery is wrong (230). Walker is saying that if people were actually 'true hearted Christians' and truly loved Jesus Christ and followed his example as Christians (which means 'little Christ') that they could never justify slavery.

I think that Walker is challenging people who support slavery yet call themselves 'Christians' to actually follow the word of the God they claim to follow, instead of twisting verses around to justify the cruelty of slavery.

I'd be interested to see what anyone else thought of this. Thanks!