David Walker: Unsung Hero

Harriet Tubman. Frederick Douglass. Martin Luther King. Rosa Parks. Malcolm X. David Walker. David who?

David Walker (1797?-1830) was a courageous and visionary African American leader and activist. He put his life on the line by publicly demanding the immediate end of slavery in the new nation of the United States.

Most people haven’t heard of David Walker. Yet he should be a household name, as familiar as the other revered heroes of the Black freedom struggle. And we want to help make that happen.

Our project has two main goals:

• To make more people aware of the life and work of David Walker and his unique contribution to ending slavery in the United States.
• To build a public memorial in his honor.

This site has detailed information about David Walker and his work. You can read about his life, his famous anti-slavery pamphlet, Walker’s Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World, and his influence on the abolitionist movement. You can also learn what life was like for Black people in Boston, Massachusetts where Walker spent his most influential years.

We plan to add a “virtual tour” video of the historically Black area of Boston’s Beacon Hill that was once home to Walker and his family.

Inspired? Got ideas for the site or new information about David Walker? Want to get involved? We’d love to hear from you!