The Christiana Riot
of 1851
a Pathfinder developed
for
Moores Memorial
Library
Christiana, PA
An Overview of the Event:
On
September 11, 1851, a Maryland slave owner named Edward Gorsuch made his way
before dawn to the village of Christiana along with a U.S. Marshall and
deputies with the expectation of capturing his runaway slaves. A violent and
brutal conflict broke out that sent shock waves across the nation. The
violence came one year after the second fugitive slave law was passed by
Congress, requiring the return of all escaped slaves to their owners in the
South. Edward Gorsuch was killed and two others wounded during the fight.
In the aftermath of the Christiana Riot, 38 men were arrested and charged
with treason under the provisions of the Fugitive Slave Law. Most were
acquitted.
Searching
in the online catalog (OPAC) under the subject heading Christiana Riot
yields "no headings found". Using the search term Riots leads
to a comprehensive list of available literature found under the subject heading
Riots - Pennsylvania. Most subject headings can be narrowed by
adding the word Pennsylvania.
Riots - Pennsylvania
Eleven items found in collection,
such as:
Forbes, David R. A True Story of
the Christiana Riot. Quarryville, PA: Sun Printing House, 1898. REF
974.815/FOR
Also
includes Audio and Video Recordings:
Jackson, Myles. Two man war at Christiana,
1851 : an audio documentary. 1971. CASSET/974.815/TWO
Ruth,
John L. A time for every voice : William Parker's stand in Lancaster County.
Produced by Paul C. Zeigler, Harleysville, PA: Branch Valley
Productions, 1996. VHS/TIME
(back to Key Subjects)
Searching under Fugitive Slaves yields a listing of over 100 books in the Lancaster Library System, and a "see also" reference to Underground Railroad. Narrowing the search by including Pennsylvania targets the desired results.
Fugitive Slaves - Pennsylvania
Five books found in collection, such
as:
Slaughter, Thomas P. Bloody dawn
: the Christiana Riot and racial violence in the antebellum North. New
York: Oxford University Press, 1991. 974.815 SLA
(back to Key Subjects)
Fugitive Slaves, see also Underground Railroad
Underground
Railroad-History
Four books found in collection, such
as:
Ayres, Katherine. North by night
: a story of the Underground Railroad. New York : Delacorte Press, c1998.
jF/AYRES/K
Exploring a common past :
researching and interpreting the Underground Railroad. 2nd edition. Washington : U.S. Dept. of
the Interior, National Park Service, History Division, 1998. 973.7115/EXP
These books give a general
historical view of the Underground Railroad, not necessarily directly related
to the Christiana Riot.
(back to Key Subjects)
Searching the term Slavery leads to relevant sub-headings including Antislavery Movement and Slavery and the Church - Society of Friends. Once again, adding Pennsylvania to the search narrows the field considerably.
Slavery - Pennsylvania
Four books found in collection, such
as:
Pinskey, Matthew. Vigilance in
Pennsylvania : Underground Railroad activities in the Keystone state, 1837-1861.
Harrisburg, PA :PHMC, Division of History, 2000. 973.7115/PIN
(back to Key Subjects)
Antislavery
Movements - Pennsylvania
One book in the juvenile collection:
Rogers, James T. The antislavery
movement. New York, NY : Facts on File, 1994. j/326.973/ROG
(back to Key Subjects)
Society of Friends, see also
Quakers
Society of Friends - Pennsylvania
Singmaster, Elsie. Stories of
Pennsylvania, 1616-1860. Harrisburg, PA: Pennsylvania Book Service
1937-1940. j/974.8/SIN
(back to Key Subjects)
For more information about the Society of Friends, outside the scope of the Christiana Riot, search Quakers - United States. Adding Pennsylvania, in this instance, yields no results.
Quakers - United States
Four books found in collection, such
as:
Bacon, Margaret Hope. The quiet
rebels : the story of the Quakers in America. Wallingford, PA : Pendel Hill
Publications, 1999. Originally published: New York : Basic Books, 1969, in
series: Culture & discovery books. 289.6/BAC
(back to Key Subjects)
Key figures in the Christiana Riot were William Parker, the fugitive slave; Edward Gorsuch, the slave owner; and Thaddeus Stevens, the treason trial lawyer. No titles were found about Gorsuch.
Parker, William
Four books found in collection, such
as:
Kendall, Harry W. Truth crushed
to earth : the legacy of Will Parker, a Black American Revolutionary.
Kearney, NE : Morris Publishing, 1999. Fic/KENDAL/H
(back to Key Subjects)
Stevens, Thaddeus 1792-1868
One biography referring to the
Christiana Fugitive Slave Case:
Trefousse, Hans Louis. Thaddeus
Stevens : nineteenth-century egalitarian. Chapel Hill : University of North
Carolina Press, 1997. B/STEVEN/THADDE/TREFOU
(back to Key Subjects)
Other Links:
"William Parker, The
Freedman's Story: in two parts" - story written by William Parker and
published in The Atlantic Monthly, vol. XVII, Feb. 1866, pp. 152-166; Mar.
1866, pp. 276-295; available full text online.
"The Christiana Riot and Treason Trials of 1851" - an historical sketch by W.U. Hensel, published 1911, available full text online.
Christiana Historical Society - events scheduled for the 150th anniversary.
Christiana Moores Memorial Library - houses a large historical display relating to the riot, including original correspondence and photographs.
Resistance at Christiana - a collaborative effort by four Millersville University Graduate students.
Discover Lancaster Wax Museum - features an exhibit depicting Thaddeus Stevens and the treason trial.