author
Francis J. (Francis James) Grimké
1850–1937
Born into slavery-era South Carolina and shaped by the long fight for freedom, this Presbyterian minister became one of Washington, D.C.’s most respected Black clergy voices. His life joined preaching, public witness, and steady work for civil rights.
3 Audiobooks
Fifty Years of Freedom with matters of vital importance to both the white and colored people of the United States
by Francis J. (Francis James) Grimké
The Negro and the elective franchise. A series of papers and a sermon
by Archibald Henry Grimké, Charles C. (Charles Chauveau) Cook, Francis J. (Francis James) Grimké, John Hope, John L. Love, Kelly Miller
Gideon Bands for work within the race and for work without the race a message to the colored people of the United States
by Francis J. (Francis James) Grimké
About the author
Born in South Carolina in 1850, Francis J. Grimké was the son of a white planter, Henry Grimké, and Nancy Weston, an enslaved woman. After the Civil War, he continued his education, studied at Lincoln University and Princeton Theological Seminary, and entered the Presbyterian ministry.
He is best known for his long pastorate at Fifteenth Street Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C., where he served for decades and became widely respected as a preacher, pastor, and public thinker. His sermons and speeches spoke plainly about Christian faith, racial injustice, and the moral responsibilities of the nation.
Grimké was also active in the struggle for equal rights beyond the pulpit. He was associated with the Niagara Movement and was among the early figures connected with the founding generation of the NAACP, making him an important voice in both American religious history and the early civil rights movement.