Abby Morton Diaz facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abby Morton Diaz
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
Abby Morton
November 22, 1821 Plymouth, Massachusetts
|
| Died | April 1, 1904 (aged 82) Belmont, Massachusetts
|
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Teacher, reformer, writer |
| Signature | |
 |
|
Abby Morton Diaz (November 22, 1821 – April 1, 1904) was an American teacher, a leader for women's rights, and a reformer who worked to improve working conditions.
Contents
Early Life and Activism
Abby Morton Diaz was born in 1821 in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Her father, Ichabod Morton, was a strong supporter of the anti-slavery movement. Abby was the only daughter among five brothers. Her family had deep roots in Plymouth, with one ancestor being George Morton, an early Pilgrim settler.
Even as a young girl, Abby was involved in important causes. She was the secretary of a children's anti-slavery group. Members of this group aimed to donate twenty-five cents each week, which was a lot of money back then. To earn her share, Abby sometimes skipped butter and knitted items to sell. She was inspired by famous anti-slavery leaders like William Lloyd Garrison and Horace Mann.
For a while, Abby's family lived at Brook Farm, a special community in West Roxbury, Massachusetts. Her father built a house there. In the 1840s, Abby worked as a teacher at Brook Farm. When the community didn't succeed, the Mortons moved back to Plymouth.
Challenges and New Beginnings
Abby got married, but her marriage was short. She had two sons to support on her own. To earn money, she taught at both public and private schools. She also worked as a housekeeper at an island resort near Plymouth.
She even took on work making clothes for a large manufacturer. When she visited the workshops, she saw many skilled women who were paid very little. They had few other choices for work. This experience helped shape her desire to fight for fair treatment for women.
Career and Advocacy
Helping Women in the Workplace
Abby Morton Diaz was a founder of the Women's Educational and Industrial Union in Boston. This organization did important work, like offering legal help to women and girls. It protected them from employers and advertisers who didn't pay fair wages. Abby was chosen as the president of this group every year since it started.
A Voice Through Writing
In 1861, Abby sent a story to a magazine called Atlantic Monthly using a made-up name. She received forty dollars for it, which was a good amount at the time. Her stories for children became very popular. They were first published in magazines like Young Folks. Some of her well-known series include William Henry's Letters to His Grandmother and Pink and Blue.
Later, a famous editor named Rev. Edward Eggleston was advised to contact Abby. This led to her writing a series of articles about women's home life. These articles and others were collected into books like The Bybury Book and Domestic Problems.
Her letters and articles about home and family challenges made her an expert on these topics. People invited her to give talks about these issues. In 1876, she presented a paper at the Woman's Congress in Philadelphia. Her paper was about how schools help develop character.
Personal Beliefs and Later Life
Abby Morton Diaz was a strong believer in Christian Science. She wrote several pamphlets about it. Towards the end of the 1800s, she gave lectures on many topics. These included the ethics of nationalism, Christian socialism, and how to develop good character in homes and schools. She also wrote about human nature, competition, and peaceful ways to solve disagreements.
Abby lived in her home in Belmont, Massachusetts, with her oldest son. She passed away there on April 1, 1904.
