Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Maria Miller Stewart



Maria Miller Stewart

Maria Miller Stewart was   born in 1803 Hartford Connecticut, to two African-born parents.      Orphaned at age 5 and raised by a clergyman’s family.  She had no formal education, other than the books in that clergyman’s library.  She married at 23 to James W. Stewart, a veteran of the war of 1912.  However, she was a widowed at 27 and was defrauded of her estate.  She took some abolitionist writings to William Lloyd Garrison, her close family friend, who published them in the “Liberator” in 1931. 

She then did an unprecedented and unforgivable deed.   She spoke publically in a public hall to men and women – the first native born American to do so.  She had been preceded by Frances Wright to do so in 1828, but Wright was a new arrival from Scotland.   Both women presented revolutionary ideas.

Stewart attacked the white Americans for not helping blacks.  White Americans were not interested in blacks who had given tears and blood in slavery to build the country.  The government would not recognize Haiti.   Some wanted to send all blacks to Africa.  She said they should build colleges for blacks.  Therefore freed blacks must   aspire and must set examples of purity, prudence, economy, raise money for schools, start stores and other business.

Critics were not kind.  She was too religious, some said.  She was definitely immodest, said others.   After 4 speeches she gave up, left Boston for New York.  Later she set up schools in New York and Baltimore.   After the Civil War she was hired as matron in Freedman’s Hospital.  As a widow of the War of 1812, she used $8 to reprint of Reminiscent, renewed her friendship with Garrison after 47 years.  She died at Freedman’s Hospital, aged 75.

After her came the wonderful speeches of the Grimke’s sisters, Anna Dickinson. Susan Anthony, Elizabeth Stanton – many to audiences including men and women.

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