The Liberator Files

Here viewers may see pictures which are relevant to the life of
Willliam Lloyd Garrison, architect, editor of the Liberator. Pictures
include people, mastheads, headlines or excerpts from writings, all of
which were significant to Garrison. Included among the people are
some who were in vehement opposition to Garrison. With each picture
there will be a few words to describe its relevance to Garrison and
the Liberator.

Maria Weston Chapman

Maria Weston Chapman, active in the Boston Female Anti-Slavery
Society, constant colleague and confidant to Garrison
(photo of a portrait, courtesy, Rare Books, Boston Public Library)

Francis Jackson

Francis Jackson, Boston’s prosperous broker, friend, benefactor to the
Garrison family, for whom Garrison’s last son was named.
(photo of a portrait, courtesy, Rare Books, Boston Public Library)

Charles Lenox Remond

Abolionist leader, recognized for his consistent work in the United
States and in England.
(photo of a portrait, courtesy, Rare Books, Boston Public Library)

Henry Wilson

Henry Wilson, United States Senator, from Massachusetts, with whom
Garrison frequently corresponded.
(photo of a portrait, courtesy, Rare Books, Boston Public Library)

John Greenleaf Whittier

Revered poet of the Abolition movement, early friend of Garrison.
(photo of a portrait, courtesy, Rare Books, Boston Public Library)

Phillips, Garrison, Thompson

On the left is Wendell Phillips, son of the City of Boston’s first
mayor, eloquent Abolition speaker; Garrison in the middle; on the
right, George Thompson, English Abolition leader, close collaborator
with Garrison. The Garrisons named two of their sons after Phillips
and Thompson.
(photo of a portrait, courtesy, Rare Books, Boston Public Library)

Daniel Webster

United States Senator from Massachusetts, Secretary of State, noted as
eloquent speaker. Because of his part in passing the Compromise of
1850, with an expanded Fugitive Slave Law, Garrison shadowed him with
anathema. When the city of Boston erected a statue of Webster,
Garrison suggested that it should “be put on its side in the frog
pond”. (The statue still stands in front of the State House.!)
(photo of a portrait, courtesy, Rare Books, Boston Public Library)

Westminster Abbey, London

August 5, 1833, Garrison and George Thompson joined in the funeral
procession to the Abbey, in tribute to William Wilberforce, renowned
English Abolitionist. Prior to his death the two men had visited
Wilberforce, in Bath, where he was very ill.
photo by Horace Seldon, July 2007

Henry Clarke Wright

Radical Minister, tutored Garrison in nonresistance, wrote frequently
to Liberator, sometimes served as editor when Garrison was absent.
(photo of a portrait, courtesy, Rare Books, Boston Public Library)

Freemasons Hall, London (interior)

A 2007 partial view of the interior of the Hall, where international
delegates met in reponse to an 1840 Convention called by the British
and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society.
photo by Horace Seldon, July 2007

Small Gallery (loft) of the Freemasons Hall

Loft of the Freemasons Hall overlooking the main floor, on which
delegates convened. Garrison arrived on June 18, 1840, with an
American delegation which included women. By act of the Convention,
women delegates were excluded from participation in debate and voting.
In protest Garrison, and three other American male delegates, took
seats in this Gallery, and “sat-out” the Convention, refusing to take
part. The three who sat with Garrison were Charles Lenox Remond,
Nathanel P. Rogers, and William Adams. As leader of the American
delegation, Garrison, by this act dominated the Convention without
speaking a word.
photo by Horace Seldon, July 2007

Statue of Garrison in Boston


Local Boston photographer, Bob Lake, had some fun in the snow at a statue of Garrison, on Commonwealth Ave. boulevard. Playing on the fact that Garrison faced slavery, saying that he ‘must be all on fire’, because there ‘were mountains of ice to melt’, the photos show him in snow! At the base of the statue other famous Garrison quotes are seen.
photos by Bob Lake, March 2008

William Cooper Nell

First published black Historian, and leader in the Equal School Rights Movement, of Boston’s 19th century black community

Abby Kelley

Abolitionist, leader of womens rights movement. Her election to the business meeting of the American Anti-Slavery Society, 1840, was the occasion of strong objection by opponents of the ” woman question”.

Helen Frances Garrison

Garrison with daughter, Helen Frances Garrison, (1844-1928) Affectionately called Fanny. One of two daughters, the other died as child.

Lewis Hayden

Former slave, he and his wife sheltered many blacks who were in flight from Fugitive Slave Catchers. Key leader in the Boston movement to defy and resist the Fugitive Slave Law, 1850.

Contribution Box

A contribution box, used to gather pennies, other coins, in support of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society.

Garrison Birthplace

Newburyport, Mass.

Mob at Tremont Temple

Picture depicting a mob action to expel Negro speakers from Tremont Temple, Boston, in December, 1860

William Lloyd Garrison at age of 20

An oil painting by William Swain, found to “have no resemblance in it” by Garrison’s schoolmate, Mr. Thomas B. Lawson

Benjamin Lundy

Lundy was editor of the Genius of Universal Emancipation, in Baltimore, with whom Garrison associated prior to establishing the Liberator. Lundy also later edited The National Enquirer, in Pennsylvania.

Arthur Tappan

Early supporter of Garrison. As President of the American Anti-Slavery Society, Arthur and his brother, Lewis, broke with Garrison in 1840, but was reconciled later in life.

Page 1 of The Liberator, No. 17, April 23, 1831

Isaac Knapp, at age 36, about 1840

A boyhood friend, Knapp served as co-editor of the Liberator, a position, from which he was dismissed in 1839, because of alcoholism, a condition which led to his death in 1843.

Prudence Crandall, at age of 31

A schoolteacher, in Canterbury, Connecticut, met strong resistance when she enrolled black children in her school. She suffered community intimidation, legal prosecution, and physical violence. Garrison gave strong support to her effort, but she was unable to continue the school.

George Thompson, at age 47, in 1850-1851

United Kingdom abolitionist, close friend and ally to Garrison, after meeting in London, in 1833. Thompson visited the United States, speaking for long periods in the anti-slavery cause.

Samuel Joseph May, at age of 50, about 1847

Connecticut pastor, early supporter of Garrison, and senior colleague and confidant.

Sarah Grimké, at age 50

Angelina Grimké, at age 39

The Grimké sisters, Sarah and Angelina, daughters of a large South Carolina slaveholding father, left the family, became leading abolitionist speakers, and were among the earliest of women to assume such roles in the movement.

Helen Eliza Garrison, at age 42

Wife, strongly abolitionist, active in Boston Female Anti-Slavery fairs. A measure of her devotion can be felt in the many letters between Garrison and herself.

Nathaniel Peabody Rogers

New Hampshire friend, on of the men who “sat-out” the 1840 London Convention with Garrison.

Four different Liberator Mastheads

Elizabeth Pease at age 44

English Quaker, leader in movements for Abolition, Peace, and Woman Suffrage, greatly influenced Garrison, and for whom one of the Garrison children was named.

Edmund Quincy at age 60

Son of a Boston Mayor, converted to active Abolitionist at the time of the 1835 Boston mob action against Garrison. Frequently edited the Liberator, friend and consultant to Garrison.

William Lloyd Garrison at age 69

William and Ellen Craft

Fugitive slave couple, 1851, whose remarkable escape from slavery still astounds history;
spent the Civil War period in England, teaching, and supporting the
United Kingdom anti-slavery efforts.

The Crandall Museum, the home of Prudence Crandall

Prudence Crandall’s home, in Canterbury, Connecticut, where she opened her school to black girls in 1834, forced to close after verbal and physical attacks, and legal prosecution. Garrison was strong in support of her dedication to equal education. (Photo courtesy of Museum Curator, K. Kozlowski)

Interior of the Unitarian Church, Brooklyn, Connecticut.

Samuel J. May, early devotee and long-time confidant for Garrison, was minister here

Courthouse, Brooklyn, Connecticut

This is where Prudence Crandall was tried three times for violating a law because she opened her school to black girls.

Friendship’s Vale

The home of Helen Benson, who married Garrison, in 1834. The wedding took place in the parlor of this house, performed by Samuel J. May