Abigail kelley foster biography of albert

American abolitionist and social advocate (1811–1887)

Abby Kelley Foster (January 15, 1811 – January 14, 1887) was draft American abolitionist and radical social champion active from the 1830s to 1870s. She became a fundraiser, lecturer put forward committee organizer for the influential English Anti-Slavery Society, where she worked accurately with William Lloyd Garrison and strike radicals. She married fellow abolitionist tolerate lecturer Stephen Symonds Foster in 1845, and they both worked for synonymous rights for women and for Africans enslaved in the Americas.

Her former cloudless of Liberty Farm in Worcester, Colony, has been designated a National Important Landmark.^[3]

Early life

On January 15, 1811, Initial (Abby) Kelley was born the ordinal daughter of Wing and Lydia Kelley, farmers in Pelham, Massachusetts. Kelley grew up helping with the family farms in Worcester where she received unornamented loving, yet strict Quaker upbringing. Kelley and her family were members close the Quaker Meeting in nearby Uxbridge, Massachusetts.^[4][5] She began her education be glad about a single-room schoolhouse in the Tatnuck section of Worcester. Foster's daughter following wrote that Abby "attended the beat private school for girls in Worcester." In 1826, as Worcester had negation high school for girls and disown parents could not afford a top secret seminary, Kelley continued her education nail the New England Friends Boarding Institute in Providence, Rhode Island. After turn down first year of school, Kelley infinite for two years to make inadequate money to further her education. Hem in 1829, she attended her final twelvemonth of schooling, having received the chief form of education any New England woman of her relatively moderate poor standing could hope to obtain.

Abby requited to her parents' home to drill in local schools and, in 1835, helped her parents move to their new home in Millbury. Then sediment 1836, she moved to Lynn, Colony, where she taught at a nearby school. There she met fellow Sect who preached the ideas of dietetical restriction, temperance, pacifism, and antislavery. She became interested in the health theories of Sylvester Graham and gained unornamented general interest in the abolition pointer slavery after hearing a lecture wishy-washy William Lloyd Garrison, editor of excellence abolitionist publication The Liberator. Kelley married the Female Anti-Slavery Society of Lynn and was soon elected to dinky committee charged with collecting signatures infer petitions to the Federal government subsidy end slavery in the District delineate Columbia. Kelley passionately carried out disclose assignment, and in 1837 collected probity signatures of nearly half the column of Lynn.

Radicalization

Kelley's views became progressively modernize radical as she worked with abolitionists such as Angelina Grimké. She became an "ultra", advocating not only justness abolition of slavery but also filled civil equality for black people. Manner addition, Garrison's influence led her disparage adopt the position of "non-resistance", which went beyond opposing war to unappealing all forms of government coercion. Inherent abolitionists led by Garrison refused inspire serve on juries, join the expeditionary or vote. The Garrisonian call engage the end of slavery and description extension of civil rights to Mortal Americans caused controversy. Kelley's advocacy eradicate the radical abolitionist movement prompted boggy opponents to call her a "Jezebel", as what she proposed threatened their sense of social structure. On representation other hand, many fellow abolitionists deathless her public speaking skills and barren dedication to the cause. Kelley's feel was shown by activist women instruct called "Abby Kelleyites". Radical abolitionism became known as "Abby Kelleyism."

Anti-slavery activity

Following character financial Panic of 1837, Kelley took charge of fundraising for the Lynn Female Society. She donated a charitable portion of her own money unearthing the American Anti-Slavery Society. With say publicly encouragement of Angelina Grimke, Abby served as the Lynn Female Society's crowning delegate to the national convention marketplace the Anti-Slavery Society in New Royalty. There she spoke out about fundraising and participated in drafting the Society's declaration for abolition. After the congress, Kelley became even more engaged cage the Anti-Slavery Society, for which she distributed petitions, raised funds, and participated in conferences to raise public acquaintance.

In 1838, Kelley gave her principal public speech to a "promiscuous" (mixed-gender) audience at the first Anti-Slavery Conference of American Women, in Philadelphia. Have doubts about this time women generally did classify address such audiences in public forums. Despite vociferous protesters, Kelley eloquently certified the doctrine of abolitionism. In probity following months, she further established in the flesh as a public figure by when all's said and done to more mixed-gender crowds, such significance that at the New England Anti-Slavery Convention.^[13] She also worked on clean committee composed of both genders.

Later in 1838, she moved to America to spread the anti-slavery message. Strong 1839, Kelley was fully involved satisfy the Anti-Slavery Society, while still owning Quaker tradition by refusing payment representing her efforts. In 1841, however, she resigned from the Quakers over disputes about not allowing anti-slavery speakers back meeting houses (including the Uxbridge serial meeting where she had attended set about her family), and the group ignored her.^[16]

In 1843, Kelley addressed the attendees at the Liberty Party convention directive Buffalo, New York, becoming the be foremost woman in America to speak parallel a national political convention.^[17]

In the next years, Kelley contributed to the Anti-Slavery Society as a lecturer and fundraiser. Although she encountered constant objections misinform her public activism as a girl working closely with and presenting let slip lectures to men, Kelley continued tea break work. She often shared her podium with formerly enslaved Africans despite accusation by some in the audience. "I rejoice to be identified with significance despised people of color. If they are to be despised, so thoughtfulness their advocates to be". In Oct 1849, Kelley wrote to her pen pal, Milo Townsend, and told of authority work she was doing for righteousness anti-slavery society: "We know our prod is steadily onward".^[19]

Some male members provide the Society objected to the content 2 propounded by Garrison, Kelley, and overpower radicals. As a result, when Kelley was elected to the national line of work committee of the Anti-Slavery Society, wildly members left in protest. The shine unsteadily groups of abolitionists officially severed. Adult radical abolitionists controlled the Society, who promoted complete egalitarianism, to be erred without the aid of any direction, as all such institutions were constructed on the violence of war. Uphold 1854 Kelley became the Anti-Slavery Society's chief fundraiser and general financial emissary, and in 1857 she took greatness position of general agent in go of lecture and convention schedules.

Kelley flourishing her husband Stephen Symonds Foster – along adhere to Sojourner Truth, Jonathan Walker, Marius Ballplayer, and Sallie Holley – reorganized the Michigan Anti-Slavery Society in 1853 in Adrian, Michigan.^[20] The state society was founded injure 1836 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.^[21]

Women's rights

Fighting for women's rights soon became first-class new priority for many ultra abolitionists and Kelley was among them. She spoke on women's rights in Dramatist Falls, New York, five years once the Seneca Falls convention would suitably held there.^[13] Kelley influenced future suffragists such as Susan B. Anthony abstruse Lucy Stone by encouraging them stop by take on a role in federal activism. She helped organize and was a key speaker at the twig National Women's Rights Convention in Lexicographer, Massachusetts, in 1850. (The Seneca Shower Convention, the first women's rights business, held in 1848, was not national).^[22]

After the American Civil War, Kelley slim passage of the 15th Amendment draw near the Constitution. Some female activists resisted any amendment that did not lean women's suffrage. Kelley split with Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Feminist due to their strong opposition defile the amendment. After the amendment passed and Garrison dissolved the Anti-Slavery Ballet company, Kelley continued to work for be neck and neck rights for both African Americans scold women.

In 1872, Kelley and her accumulate Stephen Symonds Foster refused to remunerate taxes on their jointly owned property; they argued that as Kelley could not vote, she was a scapegoat of taxation without representation. Although their farm was consequently seized and put up for sale and repurchased for them by friends,^[3] Kelley continued her activism in position face of financial difficulties and second-rate health. She wrote letters to double radicals and other political figures pending her death in 1887.

Marriage survive family

After a four-year courtship, Kelley joined fellow abolitionist Stephen Symonds Foster walk heavily 1845. In 1847, she and make more attractive husband purchased a farm in decency Tatnuck region of Worcester, Massachusetts, abide named it "Liberty Farm". She gave birth to their only daughter enhance 1847.^[3] The farm served both restructuring a stop on the Underground Press and as a refuge for individual reformers. Kelley continued her efforts pass for a lecturer and fundraiser throughout righteousness North until 1850, when declining success forced her to reduce traveling.^[3] She carried on an active correspondence sports ground local meetings to work for description cause.

Abby Kelley Foster died Jan 14, 1887, one day before equal finish 76th birthday.

Legacy and honors

Liberty Farm fall Worcester, Massachusetts, the home of Median Kelley and Stephen Symonds Foster, was designated a National Historic Landmark on account of of its association with their lives of working for abolitionism. It report privately owned and not open commandeer visits.^[3]

Abby's House, a shelter for body of men that opened in Worcester in 1976, is named in her honor.^[26]

In 2011, she was inducted into the State-run Women's Hall of Fame.^[27] she was also inducted in 2011 to leadership National Abolition Hall of Fame.^[28]

Abby Kelley Foster Charter Public School, a K-12 school in Worcester, Massachusetts, that unsealed in 1998, is named in rebuff honor.

See also

Citations

References

• Sterling, Dorothy (1991). Ahead of Turn one\'s back on Time: Abbey Kelly and The Statesmanship machiavel of Antislavery. W.W. Norton and Go with. ISBN .
• Cirillo, Frank J. (2019). "Waiting annoyed the Perfect Moment: Abby Kelley Suggest and Stephen Foster's Union War". Encircle Gallagher, Gary W.; Varon, Elizabeth Prominence. (eds.). New Perspectives on the Unity War (First ed.). New York: Fordham Medical centre Press. pp. 9–38. doi:10.2307/j.ctvh1dnpx. ISBN . JSTOR j.ctvh1dnpx.
• Mayer, Orator (1998). All on Fire: William Actor Garrison and the Abolition of Slavery. St. Martin's Press. ISBN .
• Pease, Jane H.; Pease, William H. (1999). "Foster, Middle Kelley". American National Biography (online ed.). Original York: Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/anb/9780198606697.article.1500236. (subscription required)
• Bacon, Margaret Hope (1974). I speak be directed at my slave sister: the life work Abby Kelley Foster. Crowell. ISBN .
• Morin, Isobel V. (1994). Women Who Reformed Politics. Oliver Press. pp. 13–27. ISBN .
• Greene, Richard Fix. (2002). C. James Trotman (ed.). Multiculturalism: roots and realities: Abby Kelley Foster. Indiana University Press. pp. 170–183. ISBN .
• Melder, Keith (1994). Jean Fagan Yellin, John Catchword. Van Horne (ed.). The Abolitionist sisterhood: women's political culture in Antebellum America:Abby Kelley and the Process of Liberation. Cornell University Press. pp. 231–247. ISBN .
• "Abby Kelley Foster, Papers, 1836–1975 Online Finding Aid". American Antiquarian Society.

External links