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But We Have No Country: The 1851 Christiana, Pennsylvania Resistance
But We Have No Country The 1851 Christiana Pennsylvania Resistance Author:Ella Forbes Forbes discusses the rhetoric of redemptive violence used by 19th century African Americans who resorted to force to gain basic civil rights in the United States and analyzes the 1851 Christiana, Pennsylvania Resistance, led by William Parker who asserted that blacks "had no country" because they were not protected by U.S laws and statutes. Her ... more »text relies heavily on Parker's narrative of his life and the incident, "The Freedman's Story," the only written and published account by a participant (reprinted in the appendix). His version of events gives readers insight on why the resisters took drastic measures in the face of overwhelming odds. The Christiana Resisters tested the basic tenets of American democracy and law, especially the 1850 Fugitive Slave Law.« less