Whataboutism and US Slavery (1850)

The Cartoon That Tried to Whitewash History

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In 1850, British-born John Haven printed a satirical cartoon that sought to challenge the abolitionists' view of slavery by unfavorably comparing it to the conditions of British industrial workers.

The cartoon features two panels: the top panel is impossibly naive - it shows two Northern men and two Southern men observing a group of seemingly content slaves, who are depicted dancing, playing music, and smiling.

The Northerners are surprised at this scene and are amazed to find that their popular assumptions about slavery are unfounded. The Southerners hope that the Northerners will return home with a new perspective on slavery.

The lower panel shows the harsh conditions of British textile factory workers, with a sign reading "Sale / A Wife to be Sold," a mother lamenting over her children, and two factory workers contemplating running away to coal mines where they would only have to work for 14 hours instead of their current 17.

On the far right, two rotund men, a priest and a tax collector, approach the workers with books labeled "Tythes" and "Taxes." In the right corner, a man thanks God that he will soon die and be free of his "factory slavery."

Below the panels is a portrait of the bust of George Thompson, a Scottish abolitionist. An accompanying quote from Thompson reads, "I am proud to boast that Slavery does not breathe in England," although the creators of this print would argue otherwise.

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Title: Slavery as it exists in America. Slavery as it exists in England

Creator: John Haven

Created / Published: Boston: Published by J. Haven, 1850.

Library of Congress: Control Number 2008661524