Read Part One HERE
In this post I will continue to focus on a woman named Abby Kelley. She lived from 1811- 1887. In 1845, Abby receivd a request from the Ohio American Anti-Slavery Society, asking her to attend the annual meeting of the society and to present their program at conventions throughout Ohio during the summer.
On June 5, Abby arrived at the annual meeting, which was held in the New Lisbon's Disciples' Church. She lectured to an audience of 500 people, mostly Quakers and blacks, who filled the church to overflowing. Many people had to be content with sitting on benches outside.
Even those opposed to abolition of slavery often spoke of Abby's power as a speaker. In May 1845, the New York Herald, an anti-reform newspaper, praised her address at an American Anti-Slavery Society meeting.
In the summer of 1845, Abby attended an annual Quaker meeting at Mount Pleasant, Ohio. These were not abolitionist Friends, but were Orthodox Quakers. Abby waited for most of the day before speaking. She had hardly begun her lecture when she was ordered to stop disturbing the meeting. She tried to go on, but the men physically carried her out of the building.
Read Part One Hundred And Twelve HERE
No comments:
Post a Comment