Browse Exhibits (8 total)
Contextualizing the Founders: Knox College, Abolition, and Praxis
Analyzing the abolition of notable men like George Washington Gale, Jonathan Blanchard, William W. Brown and Elijah P. Lovejoy, and how their praxis is at odds with their abolition.
Written by Matt Lande
International Souls in the Land of White-man’s Power: Dreamland Rhetoric and Racial Hierarchy
This essay explores the stories of two Knox graduates, Barnabas Root and Charles A. Eastman, whose identities were foreign to the white male student body in the 1800s. They echo narratives of the American dream and the racial hierarchy that explains U.S. fickle immigration policies. What prompted Root and Eastman’s studies in America and at Knox? Were their experiences ridden with prejudice and racism? This is an observation of manifest destiny, settler colonialism, and racial hierarchy through the lens of Root, Eastman, and other first foreign students in America.
Written by Marina Hoang
Is Knox Actually Abolitionist?: Questioning the Validity of Knox’s Anti-Slavery Legacy Through Knox Publications
An investigation into Knox's abolitionist legacy using Knox publications. How much did Knox do for abolition? Did Knox promote abolition among the students? Where did Knox get the reputation as an abolitionist college? Are all questions answered in Is Knox Actually Abolitionist?: Questioning the Validity of Knox's Anti-Slavery Legacy. Content warning for racist images.
Written by Allie Konopelski
Mary Allen West: An Abolitionist Educator
Mary Allen West is a well known figure in Galesburg’s history, but she has more to her story than what is currently discussed. Looking at her story through a lens of ethics of care shows that women were abolitionists too, even if they have been left out of Knox’s story so far.
Written by Amelia Grace Zyskowski.
Religious Conflict and the Evolution of Abolitionism at Knox College
Exploring the differing abolitionist views of Congregationalists and Presbyterians in Galesburg and how this shaped Knox College's foundations. Written by Sophia Auron.
The Influence of Anti-Slavery Pamphlets During The Abolitionist Movement
A deep dive into anti-slavery pamphlets such as The American Anti-Slavery Almanac for 1840, The American Anti-Slavery Almanac for 1841, The Liberty Almanac for 1847, and The Abolitionist. The analysis of these pamphlets connects the abolitionist movement with religious motivations, white savior efforts, and the unsafe climate of Illinois at the time that Knox and Galesburg were founded. Written by Isabel Oliver.
The Success of a Failed Institution: The Differences Between Knox College and Oneida Institute
A comparison between the two abolitionist colleges founded by George Washington. The similarities and differences between how Knox College and Oneida Institute were planned, structured, and ran, and how they ended up.
Written by Xander Robins
Writing, Land, and the Founders: How Galesburg and Knox Mythologized their Origins
The founding of Galesburg and Knox College are intertwined, and so are the mythologization of each. From how the land was viewed and seen by the founders, to how later historians wrote about the founders, the history of Knox and Galesburg isn't as clear cut and admirable as many have made it seem. Written by Abigail King.