author
Maria Weston Chapman
1806–1885
A bold voice in the American abolitionist movement, she helped turn antislavery work into a powerful public campaign. Her writing, organizing, and fierce sense of purpose made her one of the best-known women reformers of her time.
2 Audiobooks
"How Can I Help to Abolish Slavery?" or, Counsels to the Newly Converted
by Maria Weston Chapman
Right and wrong in Massachusetts
by Maria Weston Chapman
About the author
Born in Weymouth, Massachusetts, in 1806, Maria Weston Chapman became a leading American abolitionist at a time when women were often pushed to the margins of public life. She was educated partly in England, married Boston merchant Henry Grafton Chapman in 1830, and soon threw herself into organized antislavery work.
Chapman helped found the Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society and became one of the closest allies of William Lloyd Garrison. She was known for her sharp writing, fearless speaking, and talent for organizing campaigns, fairs, and publications that kept the abolitionist cause in the public eye. She also served on the executive committee of the American Anti-Slavery Society and edited The Non-Resistant.
After her husband's death, she spent years living partly in Europe, but remained connected to reform circles and to the struggle against slavery. She died in 1885, and is remembered as one of the movement's most energetic and effective advocates, especially in opening space for women's leadership in abolition.