After graduation, John B. Russwurm moved back to New York City to become an activist for antiracism and abolition. He was appointed the role of junior editor of "Freedom's Journal" only a year after receiving his degree. After Cornish left the paper, Russwurm began to promote colonization in Africa for American free blacks, as proposed by the American Colonization Society. His readers did not agree and abandoned the paper. He served as an editor at "Freedom's Journal" until 1829 when he announced he would be moving to Liberia.