Two decades before the Civil War, Elijah P. Lovejoy used his newspaper to demand an end to slavery - dangerous beliefs that turned deadly as mobs repeatedly destroyed his press and then took his life. Lovejoy's death turned slavery into a national debate and helped mobilize the abolitionist movement. It also made people more committed to protecting free speech and freedom from punishment by private citizens.
This is the life story of a man who insisted on his constitutional right to speak freely about unpopular subjects and refused to be intimidated by those who would silence him. Just days before his murder, Elijah told a crowd, "Think not that I regret the choice I have made. While all around me is violence and tumult, all is peace within."
A fascinating and informative read for children who enjoy history, biographies and stories of coping with adversity. As relevant today as when Lovejoy lived.
Suitable for U.S. history and social studies assignments.