Maria Weston Chapman American abolitionist Date of Birth: 25.07.1806 Country: USA

1. Maria Chapman: A Leading Abolitionist
2. Abolitionism
3. Anti-Slavery Work
4. Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society
5. Travels
6. Later Life

Maria Chapman: A Leading Abolitionist

Maria Weston was born in Weymouth, Massachusetts, in 1806. Her father was a ship captain, and her mother came from a well-connected family. Weston received a good education in England, where she spent several years of her youth. Upon returning to Boston in 1828, she became a teacher at a progressive girls' school. Two years later, she married Henry Grafton Chapman.

Abolitionism

Chapman and her husband were ardent "Garrisonian" abolitionists. They believed in the immediate and uncompromising end of slavery through moral persuasion and non-resistance. In 1835, Chapman took over the leadership of the Boston Anti-Slavery Bazaar, a major fundraising event. She led the fair until 1858, when she unilaterally decided to replace it with the Jubilee Anti-Slavery Subscription.

Anti-Slavery Work

Chapman also served on committees of the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society, the New England Anti-Slavery Society, and the American Anti-Slavery Society. She played an active role in petition campaigns and published pamphlets to raise public awareness. From 1839 to 1858, she edited the "Liberty Bell," an annual anti-slavery gift book. Chapman was a prolific writer, publishing works such as "Right and Wrong in Massachusetts" (1839) and "How Can I Help to Abolish Slavery?" (1855).

Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society

Chapman played a pivotal role in the Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society (BFASS). In 1840, she outsmarted opposition and took control of the society, focusing it on organizing the Boston Bazaar. Despite disagreements within the anti-slavery movement, Chapman remained a central figure in the Boston movement.

Travels

Chapman spent extended periods abroad, first in Haiti (1841–1842) and then in Paris (1848–1855). While overseas, she solicited support and donations for the Boston fairs from prominent figures in British and European society.

Later Life

Upon her return to the United States in 1855, Chapman began to deviate from Garrison's ideology. She supported the Republican Party and the Civil War, despite its use of violent force. In 1863, she withdrew from public life and enjoyed the fruits of her activism, dying in 1885.