Angelina Grimke

Date of Birth: February 20, 1805

Zodiac Sign: Pisces

Date of Death: October 26, 1879

Biography

Angelina Grimké was a prominent American political activist, abolitionist, and women’s rights advocate born on February 20, 1805, in Charleston, South Carolina. Along with her sister, Sarah Moore Grimké, Angelina played a significant role in the early abolitionist movement and the struggle for women’s rights in the United States. Raised in a wealthy, slave-owning family, Angelina became disillusioned with the institution of slavery and moved to the North where she converted to Quakerism and joined the abolitionist cause. Angelina quickly became known for her powerful oratory and written works. Her “Appeal to the Christian Women of the South” (1836) was a compelling anti-slavery tract that urged Southern women to take a stand against slavery. She and her sister toured extensively, speaking to mixed-gender audiences, which was highly controversial at the time. This engagement with public speaking and mixed audiences marked a significant step forward for women in public life and advocacy. The Grimké sisters faced considerable backlash and hostility, but they remained steadfast in their commitments. Their efforts helped lay the groundwork for later social justice movements, including the women’s suffrage movement. Angelina married fellow abolitionist Theodore Dwight Weld in 1838, and the couple continued their advocacy work together. Angelina Grimké passed away on October 26, 1879, but her legacy as a pioneering advocate for both abolition and women’s rights endures.

5 Interesting Facts about Angelina Grimke

1. Angelina Grimké was one of the first women to address legislative bodies in the United States.

2. Her pamphlet, “Appeal to the Christian Women of the South,” was widely distributed and influential in the abolitionist movement.

3. Angelina and her sister Sarah were the first women to testify before a state legislature on the issue of African American rights.

4. The Grimké sisters were ostracized by their family and society in Charleston for their anti-slavery stance.

5. Angelina’s marriage to Theodore Dwight Weld was an important partnership in the abolitionist movement, and they co-authored several works together.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Angelina Grimke

1. “I recognize no rights but human rights—I know nothing of men’s rights and women’s rights.”

2. “I appeal to you, my friends, as mothers; are you willing to enslave your children’s children?”

3. “The denial of our duty to act is a denial of our right to act; and if we have no right to act, then may we well be termed the ‘white slaves’ of the North.”

4. “Whatever is morally wrong cannot be politically right.”

5. “I ask no favors for my sex. I surrender not our claim to equality. All I ask of our brethren is that they will take their feet from off our necks.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Angelina Grimké did not accumulate significant personal wealth through her activism. Therefore, her highest net worth achieved is not applicable in a traditional monetary sense.