Theodore S. Wright facts for kids
Theodore Sedgwick Wright (1797–1847) was an important African-American leader, minister, and abolitionist. An abolitionist is someone who worked to end slavery. Wright was active in New York City, where he led the First Colored Presbyterian Church as its second pastor.
He made history by becoming the first African American to attend and graduate from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1828 or 1829. This was also the first time any African American completed theological studies at a seminary in the United States. In 1833, he helped start the American Anti-Slavery Society, a group of both Black and white people working to end slavery. He served on its main committee for many years.
Wright also helped create other important groups like the Union Missionary Society and the American Missionary Association. He was a powerful speaker and worked hard to fight against slavery. He was very passionate about helping young people, providing excellent education, sharing his faith, and ending slavery. He died at age 50, possibly from exhaustion due to his tireless work.
Early Life and Learning
Theodore Sedgwick Wright was born around 1797 in Providence, Rhode Island. His parents were free, meaning they were not enslaved. He likely moved to New York City with his family, where he went to the African Free School. This school was important because it provided education for Black children.
When he was about 28, Wright was accepted into a higher education institute. He was only the second Black man ever admitted there. With help from people like Governor DeWitt Clinton and Arthur Tappan, Wright was able to study at Princeton Theological Seminary.
Wright later said that his time at the seminary was difficult because of race relations. Many white teachers and students supported the American Colonization Society. This group wanted to send free Black Americans and formerly enslaved Black Americans to Liberia, a country in Africa. Wright and other Black leaders spoke out against this idea. In 1829, Wright became the first African American to graduate from Princeton Theological Seminary.
Working for Change
Before 1833, Wright became the second minister of New York's First Colored Presbyterian Church. He served there for the rest of his life. Today, this church is known as St. James Presbyterian Church in Harlem. He took over from the church's founder, Samuel Cornish.
In 1833, Wright was a founding member of the American Anti-Slavery Society. This group had both Black and white members and leaders. He was part of its main committee until 1840. That year, he and other members left because they disagreed with some of William Lloyd Garrison's ideas, including his wish to have women in leadership roles. Wright then helped start a new group called the American and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society.
In 1837, at a national meeting called a Colored Convention, Wright spoke against a plan that suggested Black people should use violence to defend themselves. He believed this was "un-Christian." However, he supported other Black communities. For example, in 1837, he spoke at the opening of the First Free Church of Schenectady, New York. This was the first Black church in that city, and he praised it for starting a school for its children.
For many years, Wright was a "conductor" on the Underground Railroad in New York City. The Underground Railroad was a secret network that helped enslaved people escape to freedom. He used his house at 235 W. Broadway as a safe stop for these brave individuals. He also served on New York's Committee of Vigilance. This group worked to help runaway enslaved people avoid being caught and returned to the South.
Later Views
By 1843, Wright's ideas about using violence to end slavery had changed. At the National Negro Convention in Buffalo that year, he supported Henry Highland Garnet's call for enslaved people to rise up and fight for their freedom. However, this idea was opposed by another famous abolitionist, Frederick Douglass, and was narrowly voted down by the convention members.
Family Life
In 1837, Wright married Adaline T. Turpin from New Rochelle, New York. Theodore Sedgwick Wright passed away in New York City on March 25, 1847.
Wright's Lasting Impact
Theodore Sedgwick Wright's legacy continues today. In October 2021, Princeton Theological Seminary renamed its library the Theodore Sedgwick Wright Library. This was part of the seminary's efforts to acknowledge its past connections to slavery and honor important figures like Wright who fought for freedom and equality.
