but our 50 years of existence pales in comparison to the proud history of knox college of galesburg, illinois, which later this month celebrates its 175th anniversary. i'm pleased to introduce the president of knox college who will in turn introduce today's speaker. teresa arn achat is the 19th president and the first woman president in the history of knox college. she came to knox college after a distinguished academic career at several institutions, including bucknell, harvard, the university of massachusetts, wellesley, gettysburg, and hobart and william smith colleges. professor arnaut. >> thank you very much. it is a great honor to join you today for this lecture by my wonderful knox college colleague, owen muelder. before introducing owen, i'd like to thank the u.s. capitol historical society, the illinois state society, the d.c. knox club for their sponsorship of the event and also following in your footsteps thanking our alum rod ross, class of 1965, retired reference archivist at the national archives and records administration. of course, one never really retires from a dev

he had designs on finding a church that would accept him as their pastor, close to galesburg. galesburg had been founded, as president amott mentioned, by abolitionist george washington gale, who established the colony in northwestern illinois. the community and school immediately became an anti-slavery stronghold. the town eventually became the most noted abolitionist underground railroad community in downstate illinois. before owen lovejoy left jacksonville, however, a friend suggested to him that he head a bit farther north in illinois to princeton. the congregationalist minister in that community had very poor health at the time. the community was looking for a new minister. lovejoy decided to go to princeton and that decision put into motion a series of events that culminated in owen lovejoy becoming the most famous underground railroad operator in illinois, indeed one of the most famous operators across the north. when lovejoy arrived in princeton, he was initially made the temporary minister of the ham shire colony congregational church. but within a year, he was appoin

but in galesburg he really put it on moral grounds. he followed it up with the sixth debate in quincy with that same moral theme and in alton, illinois at the last debate he delivers in my view his most elegant remarks of any of the seven debates in regard to slavery's immorality. i think we have time maybe for one more question. >> [ inaudible ]. in 1848 -- how much were they involved in the underground railroad? >> i know they were involved in the underground railroad in pennsylvania. and the reality is the american anti-slavery society was very aware of what you just mentioned, that many of these german immigrants were opposed to slavery and in fact the american anti-slavery intentionally sent anti-slavery agents that were hired to lecture for them into parts of pennsylvania with that very idea in mind. well, thank you very much. i've appreciated your attention. [ applause ] >> american history tv is at the annual meeting of the organization of american historians in milwaukee. and joining us is paul finkelman, who is a professor of