Massachusetts Abolition Society facts for kids
The Massachusetts Abolition Society was a group of people who wanted to end slavery in the United States. They formed this organization because they had different ideas from another group led by William Lloyd Garrison.
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What Was the Massachusetts Abolition Society?
The Massachusetts Abolition Society was a group that worked to stop slavery in the United States. They were called an "abolitionist" organization. This means they believed slavery was wrong and wanted it to end completely.
Why Was This Society Formed?
This society was started by people who disagreed with William Lloyd Garrison. He was a very famous leader in the fight against slavery. Garrison's group was called the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society.
The new group had different views on how to fight slavery. For example, they did not agree with Garrison's ideas about the government. They also had different opinions about women's rights within the abolitionist movement.
How the Society Began
This new group was sometimes called the "New Organization" in Massachusetts. They officially formed at a meeting on May 27, 1839. D. S. King, Joseph Warren Alden, and Charles Turner Torrey helped organize this first meeting.
Many other people were also important in starting the society. Some of these founding members included Amos A. Phelps, Elizur Wright, Jr., Charles Tappan, and Orange Scott. Frederick Palmer Tracy was a key helper for the group from 1844 to 1845.
A Different Kind of Meeting
The story of how the society began was written down by Joseph Tracy. His account was first printed in a newspaper called the New York Observer. It was then shared in The Liberator newspaper on June 28, 1839.
Tracy wrote about a big anti-slavery meeting that happened before the new society formed. At this meeting, a suggestion was made to invite "all persons" to join. However, Reverend A. A. Phelps suggested inviting only "gentlemen." This idea was voted down, and the original suggestion passed.
Mr. Phelps then left the meeting. The next morning, he and about 150 other people formed the new Massachusetts Abolition Society. This new group worked closely with the larger American Anti-Slavery Society.
