Pennsylvania Hall ─ A "Legal Lynching" in the Shadow of the Liberty Bell

Offering a gripping narrative of one of the most notorious anti-abolition and anti-black riots to take place in the antebellum U.S., Pennsylvania Hall: A 'Legal Lynching' in the Shadow of the Liberty Bell provides a thorough explanation of the complexities of American antislavery and describes a society that was struggling to recreate itself in the wake of emancipation. Part of the Critical Historical Encounters series, Pennsylvania Hall focuses on the differences between gradual and immediate emancipation and the complexities of "immediatism." After describing the tensions between competing abolition camps, author Beverly Tomek examines the way in which the Garrisonian branch of the movement used the press effectively to shape both the contemporary and historical narrative. She demonstrates how Pennsylvania--the birthplace of American abolition--remained relevant to the cause. Illustrating the complexity of the Abolition movement in the North and how internal struggles hampered the movements' goals, Pennsylvania Hall's strong narrative style provides an in-depth analysis while remaining approachable for students.

Beverly C. Tomek is Assistant Professor of History at the University of Houston-Victoria.