The Mass Politics of Antislavery: An Interview with Matt Karp

The Transformation of Antislavery Politics in 1856: A Conversation with Historian Matt Karp

In 1856, the black minister Henry Highland Garnet returned to the United States after years in the Caribbean and was amazed by the spread of Anti-Slavery feeling in the nation. This transformation in political consciousness is the focus of historian Matt Karp’s essay in Catalyst, titled “The Mass Politics of Antislavery.”

Karp traces the development of the movement against slavery in the decades leading up to the Civil War, highlighting the diverse coalition that was pulled together by the nascent Republican Party. Founded in 1854, the Republican Party played a crucial role in bringing abolitionism from the fringe to the center of American politics by appealing to both moral opposition to slavery and the material interests of ordinary white Northerners and small farmers.

In a conversation with Jacobin’s Meagan Day and Micah Uetricht for the podcast “The Vast Majority,” Karp, an associate professor of history at Princeton University, discussed the significance of the Republican movement and its focus on combating the “Slave Power.” The movement never lost sight of abolitionism, even as it sought to broaden its appeal and base of support.

The conversation with Karp provides valuable insights into the history of antislavery politics in the United States and sheds light on the strategies and tactics employed by the Republican Party to advance the cause of abolitionism. Stay tuned for more updates on this fascinating topic.