Long before the modern civil rights movements took shape, one woman was already weaving the threads of justice, temperance, and literacy into the fabric of American society. Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (1825–1911) was not just a witness to history; she was one of its most potent architects.
As a poet, lecturer, and novelist, Harper used her voice as a "bronze bell" to wake the conscience of a nation divided by slavery and gender inequality.
Early Life: Born into Liberty, Dedicated to Justice
Born to free Black parents in Baltimore, Maryland, Harper’s early life was marked by both privilege and tragedy. Orphaned at age three, she was raised by her uncle, William Watkins, a radical abolitionist and educator.
Education: She attended the Watkins Academy for Negro Youth, where she developed a rigorous foundation in Greek, Latin, and rhetoric.
The Turning Point: In 1853, Maryland passed a law forbidding free Black people from entering the state from the North. This effectively exiled Harper and solidified her commitment to the abolitionist cause. She famously wrote:
"Upon that altar I pledged myself to the cause of my freedom and my race."
A Career of "Firsts" and Major Accomplishments
Harper’s bibliography is a testament to her versatility and her relentless drive to use art as a tool for social change.
Literary Icon: In 1859, she published "The Two Offers" in The Anglo-African Magazine, making her the first African American woman to publish a short story.
Commercial Success: Her poetry collection, Poems on Miscellaneous Subjects (1854), was an immediate sensation, selling over 10,000 copies—an incredible feat for any writer of that era.
The Great Novelist: Her 1892 novel, Iola Leroy, or Shadows Uplifted, explored themes of racial uplift, temperance, and the complexities of passing, remaining one of the most significant works of 19th-century Black literature.
Activism: Beyond the Pen
Harper didn't just write about change; she traveled thousands of miles to demand it.
The Suffrage Movement: She was a member of the American Woman Suffrage Association (AWSA), but she famously challenged white suffragists like Elizabeth Cady Stanton for prioritizing white women's votes over the safety and rights of Black citizens.
Founding Mother: In 1896, she helped found the National Association of Colored Women (NACW) and served as its vice president, working alongside icons like Mary Church Terrell and Ida B. Wells.
Her Lasting Legacy
Frances Ellen Watkins Harper passed away in 1911, leaving behind a blueprint for intersectional activism. She refused to separate her womanhood from her Blackness, arguing that "we are all bound up together in one great bundle of humanity."
Today, she is remembered as the "Mother of African American Journalism" and a pioneer of the "Black Woman's Era." Her work continues to be a staple in African American studies and feminist literature, proving that words, when fueled by conviction, are immortal.
Sources & Further Reading
Poetry Foundation:
Biography of Frances Ellen Watkins Harper National Women’s History Museum:
Frances Ellen Watkins Harper Profile Britannica:
Frances Ellen Watkins Harper - American Author and Social Reformer Library of Congress:
The Two Offers and other digital collections
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