Letter from Angelina Emily Grimkè, Boston, [Massachusetts], to Queen of Great Britain, Victoria, 1837 [October] 26

Sarah Moore Grimkè and Angelina Emily Grimkè write to Queen Victoria regarding human rights and slavery.They discuss their upbringing in Charleston, South Carolina and discuss the rise of anti-slavery societies in the United States as an opposition to the institution of slavery. They write that they have followed Queen Victoria's "progress of the cause of liberty in thy dominions, the names of British Philanthropists are dear to our hearts, & we rejoiced when we heard that King William had set his seal to the Liberation of the West India slaves. We have been grieved tho' not disappointed, at the failure of the scheme of apprencticeship, and are thankful that it has been exhibited in such striking contract with the happy affects of Immediate Emancipation in the islands of Antigua & Bermuda." They discuss a petition that is being written by women abolitionists in Great Britain to the apprenticeship system and will be presented to Queen Victoria in the hopes that she will abolish it. They also ask her to help keep fugitive slaves in Canada from being taken by their southern slaveholding masters.

Courtesy of Boston Public Library

anti slavery collection boston public library rare books department women abolitionists history 19th century correspondence women social reformers abolitionists social reformers antislavery movements religious aspects christianity slaves emancipation bermuda antigua west indies canada social conditions west indies british grimke angelina emily 1805 1879 grimke sarah moore 1792 1873 victoria queen of great britain 1819 1901 canada united kingdom england antigua and barbuda bermuda territory letters correspondence manuscripts english sarah moore grimke 1792 1873 ultra high resolution high resolution slavery

1837

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