James Forten facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Forten
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Portrait of Forten, c. 1834, probably by Robert Douglass Jr.
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| Born | September 2, 1766 |
| Died | March 4, 1842 (aged 75) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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| Occupation | Sailor, sailmaker, merchant, investor, businessman, landlord, essayist, abolitionist |
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| Children | 9, including Margaretta, Harriet, and Sarah |
| Relatives | Robert Purvis (son-in-law) Charlotte Forten Grimké (granddaughter) Charles Burleigh Purvis (grandson) Harriet Purvis Jr. (granddaughter) William B. Purvis (grandson) |
James Forten (born September 2, 1766 – died March 4, 1842) was an important American abolitionist, activist, and businessman. He lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Forten was a strong supporter of American independence. He became one of the most famous Black leaders after the American Revolution.
Born free in 1766, he became a sailmaker after fighting in the American Revolutionary War. He learned the trade and eventually bought the sail-making business where he worked. He created a very successful company. It was located on the busy Delaware River waterfront. Forten used his money and influence to fight for civil rights for African Americans. He worked for these rights in Philadelphia and across the country.
During the War of 1812, Forten helped organize Black troops in Philadelphia. This showed his patriotism again. From 1817, he spoke out against groups that wanted to send Black Americans to other countries. He believed Black Americans belonged in the United States. He convinced William Lloyd Garrison to oppose these "colonization" ideas. Forten also helped fund Garrison's newspaper, The Liberator. He often wrote letters for the newspaper. In 1833, he became vice-president of the American Anti-Slavery Society. He worked to end slavery everywhere in the nation. His family also strongly supported these causes. He dedicated his life to ending slavery until he passed away in 1842.
Contents
James Forten's Early Life and Education
Childhood in Philadelphia
James Forten was born free in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 2, 1766. His parents were Thomas and Margaret Forten. His father, Thomas, was a sailmaker. James's grandfather had been enslaved but gained his freedom.
Sadly, Thomas Forten died when James was young. James started working at age seven to help his mother and sister. He first worked as a chimney sweep, then as a grocery store clerk. He also attended the African School. This school was run by Anthony Benezet, a Quaker who believed in ending slavery. Benezet offered free education to Black children. James's mother wanted him to stay in school. However, by age nine, James left school to work full-time.
Serving in the Revolutionary War
When James was 14, the American Revolutionary War was happening. He joined the crew of a privateer ship called the Royal Louis. A privateer was a private ship allowed to attack enemy ships during wartime. The British Royal Navy captured the Royal Louis. The British captain, John Beazley, was impressed by James. He offered James a chance to go to school in Great Britain. But James refused, saying he would never betray his country.
Instead, James was treated as a prisoner of war. He was held on a British prison ship called the HMS Jersey. After seven months, he was released. He promised not to fight in the war again. James walked all the way from Brooklyn back to Philadelphia. Later, he worked on a merchant ship that sailed to England. He lived and worked in a London shipyard for over a year.
Learning the Sail-Making Trade
In 1790, James Forten returned to Philadelphia. He became an apprentice to Robert Bridges, a sailmaker. Bridges had been his father's boss and a family friend. James quickly learned how to cut and sew large ship sails. Soon, he was promoted to foreman.
James Forten's Career and Business Success
Building a Successful Business
When Robert Bridges retired in 1798, James Forten bought the sail-making business. He even invented a special tool to help move the large sails. By 1810, Forten had one of the most successful sail businesses in Philadelphia. He hired both Black and white workers. This was unusual for the time. Because he was so good at business, James Forten became one of the richest people in Philadelphia.
James Forten's Family Life
Marriage and Children
James Forten married twice. His first wife, Martha Beatte, passed away a few months after their marriage in 1804. In 1806, he married Charlotte Vandine. James and Charlotte had nine children: Robert, Margaretta, Harriet, Sarah Louisa, Charlotta, William, Mary, Thomas, and James Jr. Robert and James Jr. later took over their father's sail-making business.
A Family Dedicated to Freedom
All of Forten's children grew up believing strongly in the abolition movement. This movement worked to end slavery. Robert Forten was a very active anti-slavery activist. William studied at the Oneida Institute, a school known for its abolitionist views.
Two of James's daughters, Harriet and Sarah Louisa, married brothers Robert Purvis and Joseph Purvis. The Purvis brothers were also important abolitionists. They used their wealth to help end slavery. Margaretta Forten was a teacher her whole life. She became an officer of the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society in 1845.
James Forten's granddaughter, Charlotte Forten Grimké, became a famous poet, diarist, and educator. Her diary, which described her experiences teaching formerly enslaved people after the Civil War, became very well known.
James Forten's Public Activism
Fighting for Civil Rights
Once his business was successful, James Forten spent his time and money fighting to end slavery. He also worked to gain civil rights for Black Americans. In Pennsylvania and the North, Black people faced much unfair treatment. They often could not vote or serve on juries. Forten felt it was his duty to help his community. In 1801, he signed a petition asking the U.S. Congress to end the slave trade. It also asked to change the Fugitive Slave Law of 1793.
Speaking Out Against Unfair Laws
In 1813, Forten wrote a pamphlet called Letters From A Man of Colour. Many people knew he wrote it, even though it was published without his name. In it, he spoke out against a proposed law in Pennsylvania. This law would have required all Black people moving to Pennsylvania to register with the state. Forten argued that this law was unfair. It would treat free Black people differently from white people. He believed it would take away their rights. The bill did not pass, and Forten became known for his powerful writing.
Opposing Colonization Efforts
In the early 1800s, some people thought that free Black Americans should move to Africa or other places. They believed this would solve the challenges faced by Black people in American society. The American Colonization Society (ACS) was formed in 1816. It aimed to create a colony in West Africa called Liberia. The ACS offered to help Black Americans move there voluntarily.
James Forten had supported Paul Cuffee, a shipbuilder who helped 38 free Black people move to Sierra Leone in 1815. Cuffee hoped they could build better lives away from racism. Forten knew about the harsh discrimination Black people faced in the United States.
However, Forten soon changed his mind about colonization. In January 1817, he helped organize a large meeting in Philadelphia. About 3,000 people attended. Most Black Americans had been born in the U.S. and felt it was their home. When Forten asked who supported moving to Africa, no one said yes. When he asked who was against it, the crowd loudly shouted "No!" They wanted to stay in the U.S. and gain their full rights as citizens.
After this meeting, Forten strongly opposed the ACS. He helped convince William Lloyd Garrison, a young white abolitionist, to also oppose colonization. Forten and other leaders sent a message to Congress. They also published an "Address to the Inhabitants of the City and County of Philadelphia." This document strongly criticized colonization. Forten believed it was better to fight for equality in the U.S. than to leave the country.
Supporting The Liberator
In 1831, Forten helped William Lloyd Garrison start his anti-slavery newspaper, The Liberator. Forten provided financial support. He also often published letters in the newspaper under the name "A Colored Man of Philadelphia." Garrison also wrote articles against colonization. He described the difficult living conditions in Liberia. They wanted people to know that the ACS might not have the best interests of Black Americans at heart.
A writer named Julie Winch said about Forten:
By the 1830s, his was one of the most powerful African-American voices, not just for men and women of color in his native city, but for many thousands more throughout the North. He knew how to use the press and the speaker's podium. He knew about building alliances, when to back down and when to press forwards with his agenda. His rise to prominence, his understanding of the nature of power and authority, his determination to speak out and be heard are object lessons in the realities of community politics. Disfranchised he might have been, but voiceless he never was.
James Forten continued to manage his sail business. He also remained active in the abolitionist movement. He kept writing for The Liberator until late in his life.
James Forten's Death
James Forten died on March 4, 1842, in Philadelphia. He was 75 years old. Thousands of people, both Black and white, attended his funeral. He is buried at Eden Cemetery in Collingdale, Pennsylvania.
Legacy and Honors
James Forten left behind a remarkable family. He also left a large fortune and a history of helping others. His activism inspired many Black Philadelphians for generations.
In 2001, scholar Molefi Kete Asante included James Forten on his list of 100 Greatest African Americans.
In February 2023, the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia opened a special exhibition. It was the first museum exhibition dedicated to Forten's life and family. It was called Black Founders: The Forten Family of Philadelphia.
See also
 | Calvin Brent |
 | Walter T. Bailey |
 | Martha Cassell Thompson |
 | Alberta Jeannette Cassell |
