"Wide Awakes" Abolitionist Movement of 1860

I recently read a fascinating Twitter thread about a youth abolitionist movement in 1860 called the Wide Awakes. (NOTE: you do not have to be a Twitter user to read the thread – just follow the above link.)

They had cool iconography:

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“They deliberately targeted young people, calling massive crowds of youths to ‘wake up” … their iconography of an open eye, talk of throwing off past stupor,” a movement led by 23 year olds

An interesting parallel to current trends and events. Here is some more of their imagery:

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~ArthurG

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