William G. Allen's “orators and oratory”: Inventional amalgamation, pathos, and the characterization of violence in African‐American abolitionist rhetoric

Rhetoric Society Quarterly Jan 2005

William G. Allen's “orators and oratory”: Inventional amalgamation, pathos, and the characterization of violence in African‐American abolitionist rhetoric

Glen McClish San Diego State University

Abstract

Abstract This study explores the rhetoric of African‐American educator and abolitionist William Grant Allen through an analysis of "Orators and Oratory," an address delivered to the Dialexian Society of New York Central College. I feature Allen's effort to meld a variety of traditions and approaches to enlist his student audience in the cause of abolition. Further, I take up two related, but distinct components of "Orators and Oratory": the emphasis on appeals to the emotions and the portrayal of violence. More generally, I suggest ways in which Allen's speech serves as a window onto the rhetoric of marginalized abolitionist rhetors.

Journal: Rhetoric Society Quarterly
Published: 2005-01-01
DOI: 10.1080/02773940509391303
Open Access: Closed
Topics: argument

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (1)

Bacon et al. (2006)

Descendents of Africa, Sons of ′76: Exploring Early African-American Rhetoric

Rhetoric Society Quarterly

Cites in this index (3)

Gold (2003)

"Nothing Educates Us like a Shock": The Integrated Rhetoric of Melvin B. Tolson

College Composition and Communication
Bacon et al. (2000)

Reinventing the master's tools: Nineteenth‐century African‐American literary so…

Rhetoric Society Quarterly
Bacon (1998)

“Do you understand your own language?” Revolutionary<i>topoi</i>in the rhetoric…

Rhetoric Society Quarterly

Also cites 12 works outside this index ↓

10.2307/2932025

↗
Blackett R.J.M. (1980)

10.1353/cwh.1980.0018

Civil War History ↗
10.1177/002193478801800305

↗
10.2307/2716732

↗
10.2307/2717532

↗
10.2307/487737

↗
McHenry Elizabeth (2002)

Forgotten Readers: Recovering the Lost History of African American Literary Societies

↗
10.1017/CBO9780511582837

↗
Smith Kimberly (1999)

The Dominion of Voice: Riot, Reason, and Romance in Antebellum Politics

↗
Stephens Gregory (1997)

10.1080/10510979709368500

Communication Studies ↗
10.1177/002193479802800605

↗
Wilson Kirt (2003)

10.1080/00335630308178

Quarterly Journal of Speech ↗

CrossRef global citation count: 4 View in citation network →