David Walker discusses the terrible circumstances facing African Americans in the US in the first piece of his Appeal, paying special attention to the agony of those who were slaves in the South. In addition to challenging the hypocrisy of a country that takes pleasure in liberty while enslaving a whole race, he vividly details the cruelty of slavery.

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Brutal Conditions of Enslavement

Walker starts off by vividly describing the brutality that African Americans who were slaves had to face. He highlights the psychological and physical torture they endure, drawing attention to the fact that they are treated more like property than like people. He claims that “the whites have always been an unjust, avaricious, bloodthirsty, jealous, and unmerciful set of beings, always seeking out power and authority.” His denunciation of those who uphold and profit from slavery is shown in this remark.

He talks about the cruel working conditions, malnutrition, lashing, and other types of punishment that enslaved people endured. Walker also draws attention to the psychological costs of slavery, including the dissolution of families and the loss of individual honor. Basic human rights, freedom of thought, and education are all denied to enslaved individuals, guaranteeing their complete subordination.

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Criticism of African American Submissiveness

Walker talks on how years of oppression have made some African Americans develop subservient attitudes. He chastises people who have come to terms with their situation or who don’t fight back, stating, “I call upon you to awake! I urge you to wake up for your life, your freedoms, and your tranquility. He exhorts his audience to resist the idea that they are helpless or less than others.

Walker maintains that enslaved individuals must strive for their release and regain their feeling of value, even if he admits that the institution of slavery was created to shatter their spirit. “Are we MEN??” he writes. Are we men, I ask you, O my brethren? Did our Creator create us to be like ourselves, slaves to dust and ashes? African Americans are reminded that they are just as entitled to freedom as everyone else by this rhetorical question, which makes a strong case for their humanity and equality.

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Hypocrisy of White Americans

Walker does not spare white Americans from criticism, especially those who maintain the system of slavery while professing to support freedom and justice. He draws attention to the inconsistency in a country that upholds the Declaration of Independence’s principles—”life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”—while denying African Americans these rights. “What have they not done to us?” he writes. They have burned us alive, murdered us and our kids, and subjected us to all forms of violence.

The moral failing of a society that accepts such injustices is shown by this biting indictment. Walker accuses slaveholders of being morally reprehensible and un-Christian, exposing their hypocrisy in using religion as an excuse.

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The Need for Resistance

Walker’s main point in this piece is that African Americans must fight slavery and claim their humanity immediately. “The whites want slaves, and they want us for their slaves,” he says, adding that some of them will rue the day they see us. His notion that African Americans should not be docile but rather get ready to confront their oppressors is reinforced by this admonition.

He contends that African Americans must aggressively claim their rights to freedom and justice. To end slavery and achieve equality, resistance—whether it be intellectual, spiritual, or physical—is required. Walker tells his readers that oppressed people have risen up against their oppressors throughout history, and he feels that African Americans ought to follow suit.

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Hope for Liberation

Walker gives optimism in spite of the harsh realities of slavery. He gives his readers the assurance that their fight is righteous and that in the end, heavenly justice will triumph. “He will deliver us from under this wicked nation,” he continues, “and God has been pleased to give us a glimpse of the fulfillment of his promise.” Walker’s belief in both supernatural intervention and the moral ability of African Americans to effect change is shown in this remark.

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David Walker provides a scathing critique of slavery and a compelling call to action for African Americans in Article One of his Appeal. He questions white Americans’ duplicity, reveals the brutality of slavery, and exhorts fellow African Americans to fight against injustice. Walker encourages his readers to fight for their freedom and to have faith in the potential of a better future by referencing their humanity, dignity, and rights. In the face of persecution, his words serve as a timeless reminder of the tenacity and will of those who fight for justice.