John A. Collins (abolitionist) facts for kids

John Anderson Collins (1810–1879) was an American abolitionist. This means he was a person who worked to end slavery in the United States. He played an important role in the movement to free enslaved people.

Early Life and Anti-Slavery Work

John Anderson Collins was born in Manchester, Vermont. He went to Middlebury College and later studied at the Andover Theological Seminary. However, he soon left his studies to dedicate himself fully to the anti-slavery movement.

From 1840 to 1842, Collins was a key leader in the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society. This group was a branch of the larger American Anti-Slavery Society, which was a major organization fighting against slavery. Collins served as their General Agent and Vice President, helping to organize their efforts.

Mentoring Frederick Douglass

Collins was also a mentor to Frederick Douglass, who became one of the most famous abolitionist speakers and writers. When Douglass was just starting his journey as a public speaker against slavery, Collins helped guide him and supported his early work.

Beliefs and Community Work

Collins started as a Congregationalist, which is a type of Christian faith. Later, his beliefs changed, and he became an atheist. He worked with different groups, including Quakers and other abolitionists who followed the ideas of William Lloyd Garrison. They all shared a goal of ending slavery and improving society.

Collins was involved in a group called the Society for Universal Inquiry and Reform. This group hoped to create a new way of living based on Christian ideas of non-resistance, meaning they believed in solving problems without violence.

He also used his writing skills to support the cause. Collins was the editor of two important anti-slavery newspapers: The Monthly Offering and Monthly Garland.

Communitarianism and Later Years

Beyond ending slavery, Collins was also interested in communitarianism. This idea involves people living together in special communities where they share resources and work. He became a leader in the Skaneateles Community, which was an experimental socialist community that existed from 1841 to 1846. He even edited a newspaper for this community called The Communitist.

In his later life, John Anderson Collins moved away from the anti-slavery movement and utopian communities. He traveled to California during the gold rush, hoping to find gold. He also became involved in politics there, running as a candidate for the state legislature with the Whig Party.