author
James F. (James Ferdinand) Morton
1870–1941
A lively radical voice from the turn of the 20th century, he wrote on politics, religion, and social reform with unusual range. His life also crossed into museum work, Esperanto, and the Baháʼí faith, giving his work a wide, curious perspective.
1 Audiobook
Exempting the Churches An Argument for the Abolition of This Unjust and Unconstitutional Practice
by James F. (James Ferdinand) Morton
About the author
Born in Littleton, Massachusetts, on October 18, 1870, James Ferdinand Morton Jr. was an American writer, lecturer, and activist. He studied at Harvard and became known in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for outspoken work in anarchist and reform circles, especially on issues such as the single tax, racism, and women's rights.
Morton wrote pamphlets, essays, and speeches aimed at a broad public audience, and he also worked as a newspaper editor. Later in life, his interests widened even further: he became active in the Baháʼí Faith, was involved with Esperanto, and worked as a museum curator. That mix of political argument, public education, and wide-ranging curiosity makes him an especially interesting figure for modern listeners.
He died on October 7, 1941. Although he is not a household name today, his writing offers a vivid window into the reform movements and big debates of his era.