Walker Lewis facts for kids

Kwaku Walker Lewis (born August 3, 1798 – died October 26, 1856) was an important African-American leader from Massachusetts. He was an abolitionist, meaning he worked to end slavery. He was also a Freemason and an elder in the early Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Kwaku Walker Lewis was very active in the Underground Railroad, helping enslaved people find freedom.

Kwaku Walker Lewis: Early Life and Family

Kwaku Walker Lewis was born on August 3, 1798, in Barre, Massachusetts. His parents were Peter P. Lewis and Minor Walker Lewis. His full name, Kwaku Walker Lewis, came from his uncle, Kwaku Walker. The name "Kwaku" means "boy born on Wednesday" in the Akan language from Ghana.

Kwaku was one of nine children. His family was well-known and believed strongly in education, helping others, and being involved in their community. When he was young, his family moved to Cambridge. Kwaku Walker Lewis became a successful barber and owned buildings in Boston.

In March 1826, Kwaku married Elizabeth Lovejoy. Her father was black, and her mother was white. Their first child, Enoch Lovejoy Lewis, was born in May 1826. Their daughter, Lydia Elizabeth, was born the next year.

Later, the Lewis family moved to Lowell. This city was growing fast because of new textile mills and factories. In Lowell, Kwaku and his brother-in-law, John Levy, opened a barbershop. Kwaku also bought a two-family home in Lowell.

Community Work and Activism

Kwaku Lewis and many of his family members were very active in the movement to end slavery and gain equal rights. They worked across Massachusetts and the Northeast.

Becoming a Freemason

Around 1823, while in Boston, Kwaku Lewis joined African Freemasonry. He was part of Boston's African Lodge #459, which was part of Prince Hall Freemasonry. In 1825, he became the sixth Master of the lodge. The next year, he was the Senior Warden. When the African Lodge became its own African Grand Lodge, Kwaku Walker Lewis served as the Grand Master for 1829 and 1830.

Massachusetts General Colored Association

Around 1826, Kwaku Lewis and Thomas Dalton helped create the Massachusetts General Colored Association (MGCA). This was the first organization in the United States made up only of black people.

In 1829, the MGCA helped David Walker (who was not related to Kwaku) publish a strong book called Appeal to the Coloured Citizens of the World. This book demanded that all enslaved people in the USA be freed right away. Kwaku Lewis helped arrange for the book to be printed in Boston.

African Humane Society

In 1831, Kwaku Lewis was the President of the African Humane Society in Boston. This group helped poor families with funeral costs, supported widows, and built the African School in Boston. The society also helped African Americans who wanted to move to Liberia.

Helping on the Underground Railroad

In Lowell during the 1840s and 1850s, Kwaku Lewis's home was a safe stop on the Underground Railroad. This was a secret network that helped enslaved people escape to freedom. For some time, he gave shelter to Nathaniel Booth, an enslaved person who had escaped from Virginia. Nathaniel settled in Lowell in 1844.

Kwaku's son, Enoch, ran a used clothing store. He mainly used it to help escaping enslaved people change their clothes and look different. Kwaku would also cut and style their hair to help them disguise themselves.

Joining the Mormon Church

Around 1842, Kwaku Lewis, who had been part of the Episcopal Church, joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It is believed that he was baptized by Parley P. Pratt. One year later, in 1843, Kwaku Lewis was made an elder by William Smith, who was the brother of the church's founder, Joseph Smith. Kwaku Lewis was one of the first black men known to hold the Mormon priesthood.

Kwaku's oldest son, Enoch Lovejoy Lewis, also joined the church. In September 1846, Enoch married Mary Matilda Webster, a white Mormon woman, in Cambridge.

Changes in the Church

After the church leaders settled in the Salt Lake Valley in 1848, Brigham Young announced a rule that stopped all men of black African descent from holding the priesthood. This rule also prevented Mormons of African descent from taking part in certain important temple ceremonies. These rules stayed in place until 1978, when they were changed by church president Spencer W. Kimball.

Moving to Utah and Later Life

Kwaku Walker Lewis decided to move to Utah to be with the main group of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He left Massachusetts in March 1851 and arrived in Salt Lake City around October 1. There, he received a special blessing from John Smith, an uncle of Joseph Smith.

Kwaku Lewis stayed in Utah for about six months before returning to Lowell. His daughter-in-law, Mary Matilda Webster Lewis, died in 1852. His son, Enoch Lewis, later married Elisa Richardson Shorter in 1853.

Kwaku Lewis died on October 26, 1856, in Lowell from tuberculosis. He was buried in the family plot at the Lowell Cemetery.

See also

In Spanish: Walter Lewis para niños