HARPER’S AMERICA

The Freeman, July 16, 1892

Harper traveled extensively as a lecturer, including to three Colored Conventions. She attended the 1858 Convention of the Colored Men of Ohio in Cincinnati, Ohio, and addressed the 1864 National Convention of Colored Men in Syracuse, New York, and the 1873 Convention of Colored People in Dover, Delaware. The convention proceedings minimize Harper’s participation and do not give further details about the speeches. However, newspaper reports about her offer insights into the content of her addresses. Harper’s prolific career as a lecturer and writer, however, extended well beyond the Colored Conventions movement. The following pages piece together reports about Harper’s participation in three Colored Conventions and map her travels across the country. Garnering a lot of attention and praise, she was often the subject of articles in Black and white newspapers. Black communities and anti-slavery circles throughout the US recognized the power of her voice. By foregrounding Harper’s labors, we can better understand the magnitude of her influence and confront why Melba Joyce Boyd called Harper’s influence as “Discarded Legacy.”

Credits

Written by Samantha de Vera