Josephine Sophia White Griffing facts for kids

Josephine Sophia White Griffing (December 18, 1814 – February 18, 1872) was an important American reformer. She worked hard to end slavery and gain more rights for women. In Litchfield, Ohio, her home was a safe place for people escaping slavery on the Underground Railroad. She also gave speeches for groups like the Western Anti-Slavery Society.

After the American Civil War, Josephine moved to Washington, D.C. There, she helped formerly enslaved people who needed jobs and support. Much of her work was with the Freedmen's Bureau, a government agency. Griffing was also very active in women's rights groups, including the National Woman Suffrage Association.

Josephine's Early Life

Josephine White was born in Hebron, Connecticut, on December 18, 1814. Her family was well-known in New England. Her father, Joseph White Jr., was a representative in Connecticut's state government. Her mother, Sophia Waldo, was the sister of a famous painter, Samuel Lovett Waldo. Sadly, Josephine's mother died when she was only one year old. Her father later married her mother's sister, Mary Waldo. We don't know much about Josephine's childhood in Connecticut.

On September 16, 1835, when she was twenty, Josephine married Charles Stockman Spooner Griffing in Stafford, Connecticut. By 1842, they moved to Litchfield, Ohio. They had five daughters, and three of them lived to be adults: Emma, Helen, and Josephine Cora.

Fighting Against Slavery

In Litchfield, Ohio, the Griffing family became involved in groups that wanted to end slavery. By 1849, both Charles and Josephine were active members of the Western Anti-Slavery Society. By 1851, they traveled around, giving speeches and saying "no union with slaveholders." This meant they believed the country should not be united with states that allowed slavery.

Josephine became a very active speaker against slavery in the West. She also wrote articles for The Anti-Slavery Bugle, a newspaper published in Salem, Ohio. The Griffings even used their home as a stop on the Underground Railroad, helping enslaved people escape to freedom. During the Civil War, Griffing worked for the Women's Loyal National League. This group worked to make slavery illegal everywhere in the country.

Helping Formerly Enslaved People

During the Civil War, Josephine Griffing saw how much the recently freed slaves were struggling. Many were fleeing to Washington, D.C., with nothing. Determined to help them, Josephine and her three daughters moved to Washington, D.C., in 1864. Her husband stayed in Ohio.

Griffing became an agent for the National Freedmen's Relief Association of the District of Columbia. She opened two schools for freedwomen. These schools taught women useful skills like sewing. They also aimed to teach them about home life and good manners. Griffing believed these schools helped women learn "higher forms of Industry."

While in Washington, Griffing also used her political connections. She spoke to members of Congress, like Benjamin Wade and Charles Sumner. She pushed for more direct help for the formerly enslaved people. Because of her efforts, the Freedmen's Bureau was created. This government agency helped freed slaves. In June 1865, Griffing was appointed as an assistant to a commissioner in the Freedmen's Bureau.

However, Griffing often disagreed with the male leaders of the Freedmen's Bureau. She believed freed people needed direct help like food, clothes, and fuel. She felt this aid was necessary for them to become financially stable. The men, however, often believed in "free labor." They encouraged self-reliance and signing work contracts quickly. Griffing openly said that many freed people in Washington, D.C., were suffering without enough supplies. By November 1865, her appointment was ended because of these disagreements.

Even with this setback, Griffing continued to help. She worked with her government contacts to find jobs for freed people in the North. Sometimes, she even traveled with them to make sure they arrived safely. The Freedmen's Bureau later worked with her on this project. By 1867, Griffing was back working for the Freedmen's Bureau as an agent. She continued to fight for more aid and jobs for African Americans. She worked for the Bureau until it ran out of money in late 1869. She kept helping freed people through the National Freedmen's Aid Association until she died in 1872.

Working for Women's Rights

Besides helping freed people, Josephine Griffing was also a strong supporter of women's rights. In the 1850s, she joined women's rights groups. She met women like Susan B. Anthony, who inspired her to fight for women's rights as well as for African Americans. Throughout the 1850s, Griffing joined several feminist organizations. She became the president of the Ohio Women's Rights Association in 1853.

After President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, Griffing joined the Women's Loyal National League. She helped gather thousands of signatures for a petition against slavery. This petition was later given to the United States Congress. Griffing was also active in the temperance movement. This movement aimed to reduce or stop the use of alcohol. Many women's rights activists supported it.

In Washington, D.C., Griffing continued her dedication to women's rights and the right to suffrage (the right to vote). In 1866, she helped start the American Equal Rights Association. This group worked for equality and voting rights for all people, no matter their race or gender. She was its first vice-president. In 1867, Griffing became the president of the District of Columbia woman suffrage association. In 1869, she joined the National Woman Suffrage Association with Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. She served as its corresponding secretary.

Josephine Griffing died in Washington, D.C., in 1872. She was 57 years old. Her cause of death was listed as "consumption" (tuberculosis). Her husband and three daughters survived her.