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It was the mid-1850s, the age of Manifest Destiny, and many people were leaving their homes to migrate west on a quest for land ownership, economic opportunity, and prosperity. In late 1856, abolitionists and intellectuals from various northern states left their homes and traveled by steamship and iron horse to the unsettled territory of Kansas. The members of this resistance group had a clear purpose: To revolt against the western spread of slavery. As radicals, they established the Quindaro Townsite, a village that rested on ragged bluffs along the narrow western bank of the Missouri River. According to the Unified Government of Wyandotte County’s website (2014), “the people of Quindaro were participating as conductors in the Underground Railroad, and so-called stations were carefully guarded secrets. Furthermore, abolitionists living in the area continued efforts to assist slaves escaping from Missouri. Slaves were reportedly brought across the river on small boats and by secret runs on the ferry” (“Unified Government of Wyandotte County,” 2014).
John Morgan Walden was one of the activists living in Quindaro at the time. Walden was 27 and had just left his boyhood home in Ohio with idealism in his heart and precocity in his mind. Just prior to embarking on this pilgrimage, Walden had vowed his loyalty to God, committed to the Methodist Episcopal religion, and refrained completely from consuming alcohol. Then he headed west to become an active part of the intellectual movement in the United States by starting his own newspaper, the Quindaro Chindowan.
At this time in the mid-19th century, newspapers not only informed the public, but also served as both a form of entertainment and as a means by which to promote civil dialogue between civically engaged individuals – even if they disagreed on political issues. During this pre-Civil War era, public education was growing and literacy rates were on the rise. American educational reformer and Whig politician Horace Mann dedicated his efforts to education reform. Mann had recently delivered a lecture entitled, “The Necessity of Education in a Republican Government.” Mann expressed his concern about the rapid expansion of democracy to populations that were ill equipped to exercise proper judgment as citizens (Steudeman, 2013, 2). Newspapers like the Chindowan were crucial in equipping these citizens with the knowledge they needed in order for democracy to thrive. In addition to public education, newspapers were essential for the spreading of information and the sharing of ideas.
Just prior to the Civil War, the town of Quindaro was well known across the country and the territories. People who were drawn to Quindaro tended to belong to educated and activist populations, which is one possible reason why residents responded positively to Walden’s publication of the Chindowan. The newspaper’s title was carefully selected and had significant meaning. On the Kansas City Public Library “Civil War on the Western Border” website, it is explained that “Chindowan” is a Wyandott word meaning “leader” (2014). Another meaning for “Chindowan” is “in union there is strength.” Walden explained that obtaining that sense of higher strength through unity of the people of Quindaro summarized the purpose of his newspaper (Walden, May 14, 1857). This perspective of strength through unity was reflected in the mentality of the people living in the 56-acre town of Quindaro.
There are several ways that Walden used the Chindowan as a platform from which he demanded a lot from his readers. He expected them to be unified for the good of all people. One way Walden did this was by promoting gatherings where people held civilized debates and discussions about political ideologies and policies, as well as literature related to then-current social and political issues. Walden also utilized the journalistic strategy of boosterism, with hopes of drawing emigrants to come to, settle in, and thrive in, the Quindaro community. Third, Walden expected his readers to be well educated and sophisticated in their understanding of literature. This is shown through his editorial decisions to use ‘artistic’ language such as figurative language, powerful word choice, and poetic sentence structures. This expectation also was shown through his allusions to specific external works of poetry and literature.
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John Morgan Walden was one of the activists living in Quindaro at the time. Walden was 27 and had just left his boyhood home in Ohio with idealism in his heart and precocity in his mind. Just prior to embarking on this pilgrimage, Walden had vowed his loyalty to God, committed to the Methodist Episcopal religion, and refrained completely from consuming alcohol. Then he headed west to become an active part of the intellectual movement in the United States by starting his own newspaper, the Quindaro Chindowan.
At this time in the mid-19th century, newspapers not only informed the public, but also served as both a form of entertainment and as a means by which to promote civil dialogue between civically engaged individuals – even if they disagreed on political issues. During this pre-Civil War era, public education was growing and literacy rates were on the rise. American educational reformer and Whig politician Horace Mann dedicated his efforts to education reform. Mann had recently delivered a lecture entitled, “The Necessity of Education in a Republican Government.” Mann expressed his concern about the rapid expansion of democracy to populations that were ill equipped to exercise proper judgment as citizens (Steudeman, 2013, 2). Newspapers like the Chindowan were crucial in equipping these citizens with the knowledge they needed in order for democracy to thrive. In addition to public education, newspapers were essential for the spreading of information and the sharing of ideas.
Just prior to the Civil War, the town of Quindaro was well known across the country and the territories. People who were drawn to Quindaro tended to belong to educated and activist populations, which is one possible reason why residents responded positively to Walden’s publication of the Chindowan. The newspaper’s title was carefully selected and had significant meaning. On the Kansas City Public Library “Civil War on the Western Border” website, it is explained that “Chindowan” is a Wyandott word meaning “leader” (2014). Another meaning for “Chindowan” is “in union there is strength.” Walden explained that obtaining that sense of higher strength through unity of the people of Quindaro summarized the purpose of his newspaper (Walden, May 14, 1857). This perspective of strength through unity was reflected in the mentality of the people living in the 56-acre town of Quindaro.
There are several ways that Walden used the Chindowan as a platform from which he demanded a lot from his readers. He expected them to be unified for the good of all people. One way Walden did this was by promoting gatherings where people held civilized debates and discussions about political ideologies and policies, as well as literature related to then-current social and political issues. Walden also utilized the journalistic strategy of boosterism, with hopes of drawing emigrants to come to, settle in, and thrive in, the Quindaro community. Third, Walden expected his readers to be well educated and sophisticated in their understanding of literature. This is shown through his editorial decisions to use ‘artistic’ language such as figurative language, powerful word choice, and poetic sentence structures. This expectation also was shown through his allusions to specific external works of poetry and literature.
To view the whole article, click here!