David Ruggles facts for kids
David Ruggles (born March 15, 1810 – died December 16, 1849) was an amazing African-American hero who fought against slavery in New York City. He was a key part of the Underground Railroad, a secret network that helped enslaved people escape to freedom. David Ruggles also worked as a printer and wrote many articles, becoming a leading voice for Black activists. He helped more than 600 enslaved people find their way to freedom, including the famous Frederick Douglass. In 1834, he opened the very first bookstore owned by an African American.
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Early Life of David Ruggles
David Ruggles was born in Norwich, Connecticut, in 1810. His parents, David Sr. and Nancy Ruggles, were free Black people. His father, David Sr., was a blacksmith. His mother, Nancy, worked as a caterer. David went to religious charity schools in Norwich when he was young.
David Ruggles' Bookstore and Anti-Slavery Work
In 1826, when he was sixteen, David Ruggles moved to New York City. He first worked as a sailor. Later, he opened a grocery store. He then became very involved in the fight against slavery. He also supported the free produce movement. This movement encouraged people to buy products made without slave labor.
David Ruggles sold and wrote for important anti-slavery newspapers. These included The Liberator and The Emancipator.
After his grocery store, Ruggles opened the first bookstore owned by an African American in the United States. His bookstore was on Lispenard Street in what is now the Tribeca area. It sold books about fighting slavery and supporting women's rights. He also published his own writings, like a journal called The Mirror of Liberty. He also wrote a pamphlet called The Extinguisher.
Helping Enslaved People Escape
David Ruggles was the secretary of the New York Committee of Vigilance. This group was made up of both Black and white people. Their main goal was to help enslaved people who had escaped. They also worked to oppose slavery. They told enslaved workers in New York about their rights. New York had already ended slavery. The law said that enslaved people brought to the state would become free after nine months.
Sometimes, Ruggles would go to private homes. He would do this if he heard that enslaved Black people were being hidden there. He would then tell these workers that they were free.
In October 1838, Ruggles helped Frederick Douglass escape to freedom. He also reunited Douglass with his future wife, Anna Murray. They were married in Ruggles' home soon after. Frederick Douglass later wrote about Ruggles in his autobiography. He said Ruggles was "very deeply engaged" in helping many enslaved people escape. He also said Ruggles was "more than a match for his enemies."
Fighting Kidnappers
Ruggles worked hard against kidnappers. These people, sometimes called "blackbirds," captured free Black people in the North. They then illegally sold them into slavery in the South. The demand for enslaved people was high in the Deep South. This made kidnapping a big threat. For example, Solomon Northup was a free Black man from New York. He was kidnapped in 1841 and sold into slavery.
With the Vigilance Committee, Ruggles fought for the rights of escaped enslaved people. He wanted them to have jury trials. He also helped them get legal help.
Challenges and Attacks
Because of his strong activism, David Ruggles made many enemies. He was physically attacked. His bookstore was even destroyed by fire. But he quickly reopened his library and bookstore. There were also two known attempts to kidnap him. His enemies included some other abolitionists who did not agree with his methods. He was criticized for his role in a famous case in 1838. This case involved a slaveholder named John P. Darg and his enslaved person, Thomas Hughes.
David Ruggles' Later Life
David Ruggles suffered from poor health. His health got worse after the Darg case. In 1841, his father passed away. Ruggles was also very ill and almost blind. In 1842, Lydia Maria Child, a friend and fellow abolitionist, helped him. She arranged for him to join a special community. This community was called the Northampton Association of Education and Industry. It was in what is now Florence, Massachusetts.
Ruggles started using a type of treatment called hydrotherapy. This involved using water to help heal the body. He slowly got some of his health back, but his eyesight did not return. By 1845, he had opened a "water cure" hospital in Florence. This was one of the first of its kind in the United States. David Ruggles died in Florence in 1849. He was only thirty-nine years old. He died from a bowel infection.
