William Lloyd Garrison

Date of Birth: December 10, 1805

Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius

Date of Death: May 24, 1879

Biography

William Lloyd Garrison was a prominent American abolitionist, journalist, and social reformer, best known for his staunch advocacy against slavery. Born in Newburyport, Massachusetts, Garrison began his career in journalism at the age of 13 as an apprentice at a local newspaper. He went on to become the editor of several newspapers, including the National Philanthropist and the Genius of Universal Emancipation. In 1831, he founded The Liberator, an abolitionist newspaper that called for the immediate emancipation of all enslaved people. His uncompromising stance and powerful editorials made him a leading figure in the abolitionist movement. Garrison also co-founded the American Anti-Slavery Society in 1833, which played a crucial role in mobilizing public opinion against slavery. Throughout his life, Garrison faced significant opposition, including threats to his life, but he remained steadfast in his beliefs. After the Civil War and the abolition of slavery, Garrison continued to advocate for civil rights and women’s suffrage until his death in 1879.

5 Interesting Facts about William Lloyd Garrison

1. Garrison was once imprisoned for libel after accusing a merchant engaged in the domestic slave trade of being a “highway robber and murderer.”

2. The Liberator, Garrison’s abolitionist newspaper, was published from 1831 to 1865 and was instrumental in spreading anti-slavery sentiment.

3. He famously burned a copy of the U.S. Constitution in 1854, calling it “a covenant with death and an agreement with hell” because of its clauses regarding slavery.

4. Garrison was one of the founding members of the American Anti-Slavery Society, which grew to have hundreds of chapters across the United States.

5. He was also an advocate for women’s rights and supported the women’s suffrage movement, speaking at the first National Women’s Rights Convention in 1850.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from William Lloyd Garrison

1. “I am in earnest—I will not equivocate—I will not excuse—I will not retreat a single inch—and I will be heard.”

2. “Enslave the liberty of but one human being and the liberties of the world are put in peril.”

3. “The Constitution which I am about to read is, to my mind, a covenant with death and an agreement with hell.”

4. “Wherever there is a human being, I see God-given rights inherent in that being, whatever may be the sex or complexion.”

5. “My country is the world; my countrymen are mankind.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

William Lloyd Garrison’s highest net worth is not well-documented, but as a social reformer and journalist primarily dedicated to abolitionist causes, he was not known for accumulating significant wealth.

Children

William Lloyd Garrison had five children: 1. George Thompson Garrison 2. William Lloyd Garrison Jr. 3. Wendell Phillips Garrison 4. Charles Follen Garrison 5. Francis Jackson Garrison