Lydia Maria Child

Lydia Maria Child (February 11, 1802 - October 20, 1880) was an American poet, journalist, and prose writer.

Lydia Maria Child (1802-1880), circa 1870. Courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

Life

Overview

Child was an abolitionist, women's rights activist, opponent of American expansionism, Indian rights activist, and Unitarian. Her journals, fiction and domestic manuals reached wide audiences from the 1820s through the 1850s. She at times shocked her audience, as she tried to take on issues of both male dominance and white supremacy in some of her stories.

Child is most remembered for her poem, "The New England Boy's Song About Thanksgiving Day."

Youth and education

She was born Lydia Maria Francis, in Medford, Massachusetts, to Susannah (Rand) and Convers Francis. Her older brother (also Convers Francis) became a Unitarian minister. Child received her education at a local dame school and later at a women's seminary.

Upon the death of her mother, she went to live with her older sister in Maine where she studied to be a teacher. During this time, her brother, Convers, a Unitarian minister, who had been educated at Harvard College and Seminary, saw to his younger sister’s education in literary masters such as Homer and Milton.

She chanced to read an article in the North American Review discussing the field offered to the novelist by early New England history. Although she had never thought of becoming an author, she immediately wrote the 1st chapter of a novel entitled Hobomok. Encouraged by her brother's commendation, she finished it in 6 weeks, and published it. From this time until her death she wrote continually. She taught for a year in a seminary in Medford, and in 1824 started a private school in Watertown. In 1826, she began the publication of the Juvenile Miscellany, the first monthly periodical for children issued in the United States, and supervised it for 8 years.

Marriage and family

Lydia Child taught school until 1828, when she married Boston lawyer David Lee Child. His political activism and involvement in reform introduced her to the social reforms of Indian rights and Garrisonian abolitionism.

She was a long-time friend of activist Margaret Fuller and frequent participant in Fuller's "conversations" held at Elizabeth Palmer Peabody's North Street bookstore in Boston.

Another friend, Harriet Winslow Sewall, arranged Child's letters for publication after her death.

Abolitionism and feminism

Lydia Child and her husband began to identify themselves with the anti-slavery cause in 1831 through the personal influence and writings of William Lloyd Garrison. Child was a women's rights activist, but did not believe significant progress for women could be made until after the abolition of slavery. She believed that white women and slaves were similar in that white men held both groups in subjugation and treated them as property instead of individual human beings.

Despite the fact that she worked towards equality for women, Child made her opinion known that she did not care for all-female societies. She believed that women would be able to achieve more by working alongside men. Child, along with many other female abolitionists, began campaigning for equal female membership in the American Anti-Slavery Society, a controversy which later split the movement.

In 1833 her book An Appeal in Favor of That Class of Americans Called Africans was published. It argued in favor of the immediate emancipation of the slaves without compensation to slaveholders, and she is sometimes said to have been the 1st white person to have written a book in support of this policy. She "surveyed slavery from a variety of angles - historical, political, economic, legal, and moral" to show that "emancipation was practicable and that Africans were intellectually equal to Europeans." The book was the 1st anti-slavery work printed in America in book form, and she followed it up with several smaller works on the same subject.

Her Appeal attracted much attention, and William Ellery Channing, who attributed to it part of his interest in the slavery question, walked from Boston to Roxbury to thank Mrs. Child for the book. She had to endure social ostracism, but from this time was a conspicuous opponent of slavery.

Child, a strong supporter and organizer in anti-slavery societies, helped with fundraising efforts to finance the first anti-slavery fair, which abolitionists held in Boston in 1834. In 1839, she was elected to the executive committee of the American Anti-Slavery Society, and became editor of the society's National Anti-Slavery Standard in 1840. She edited the Standard until 1843, when her husband took her place as editor-in-chief, and she acted as his assistant, until May 1844. During her stay in New York, Lydia was an inmate of the family of Isaac T. Hopper, a Quaker philanthropist. After leaving New York, the Childs settled in Wayland, Massachusetts, where they spent the rest of their life.

Child also served as a member of the American Anti-Slavery Society’s executive board alongside Lucretia Mott and Maria Weston Chapman during the 1840s and 1850s. She also wrote short stories exploring through fiction the complex issues of slavery. Examples include "The Quadroons" (1842) and "Slavery's Pleasant Homes: A Faithful Sketch" (1843). She wrote anti-slavery fiction to reach people beyond what she could do in tracts. She also used it to address issues of sexual exploitation which affected both the enslaved and the slaveholder family. In both cases she found women suffered from the power of men. The more closely Child addressed some of the abuses, the more negative reaction she received from her readers. Too much reality was more than they could bear.

In the end, however, Child made the decision to leave the paper because she refused to promote violence as an acceptable weapon for battling slavery. The abolitionists’ inability to work together as a cohesive unit angered Child. The constant bickering amongst them caused a permanent estrangement which forever separated Child from the AASS. In quotes, Child stated that she believed herself to be "finished with the cause forever." She did continue to write for many newspapers and periodicals during the 1840s, and she promoted greater equality for women. However, because of her negative experience with the AASS, she never fought again outright for women’s rights or suffrage movements in organized movements or societies.

In the 1850s Child responded to the Senate beating of her good friend Charles Sumner by writing her poem entitled “The Kansas Emigrants.” The outbreak of violence in Kansas brought about a certain change in Child’s opinion of the use of violence. Along with Angelina Grimke, another proponent for peace, she acknowledged the need for the use of violence to protect antislavery emigrants in Kansas. Child also sympathized with the radical abolitionist John Brown. While she did not condone his zealous violence, she deeply admired his courage and conviction and even wrote to Virginia Governor Henry A. Wise offering her services at Brown’s sickbed. In 1861, Child helped Harriet Ann Jacobs with her Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl.

Indians' Rights work

Child's first novel, the historical romance Hobomok: A tale of early times, was published anonymously under the gender-neutral pseudonym "an American." The plot centers on the interracial marriage between a white woman and a Native American man, with whom she bore a son. The heroine later remarries, reintegrating herself and her child into Puritan society. The issue of miscegenation caused a scandal in the literary community and the book was not a critical success.

During the 1860s, Child wrote pamphlets on Indian rights. The most prominent, An Appeal for the Indians (1868), called upon government officials, as well as religious leaders, to bring justice to American Indians. Her presentation sparked Peter Cooper's interest in Indian issues, and led to the founding of the US Board of Indian Commissioners and the subsequent Peace Policy in the administration of Ulysses S. Grant.

Child died in Wayland, Massachusetts, aged 78, on October 20, 1880, at her home at 91 Old Sudbury Road. She was buried at North Cemetery in Wayland.

Recognition

Her grandfather's house, restored by Tufts University in 1976, still stands near the Mystic River on South Street in Medford, Massachusetts.

The World War II Liberty Ship Lydia M. Child was launched on January 31st, 1943.

Publications

Poetry and fiction

• Hobomok: A tale of early times (as "an American"). Boston: Cummings, Hilliard, 1824.
• The Rebels; or Boston before the Revolution (as "the author of Hobomok). Boston: Cummings, Hilliard, 1825.
• Philothea. A romance. Boston: Otis, Broaders, 1836; New York: C.S. Francis, 1845
  • republished as Philothea: A Grecian romance. New York: C.S. Francis, 1845.
• Fact and Fiction: A collection of stories. New York: C.S. Francis; Boston: J.H. Francis, 1846; London: William Smith, 1847
  • republished as The Children of Mount Ida, and other stories. New York: C.S. Francis, 1871.
• Autumnal Leaves: Tales and sketches in prose and rhyme. New York & Boston: C.S. Francis, 1857.
• A Romance of the Republic. Boston: Ticknor & Fields, 1867.

Non-fiction

• The Frugal Housewife: Dedicated to those who are not ashamed of economy, (as "the author of Hobomok"). Boston: Marsh & Capen; Carter & Hendee, 1829
  • revised and enlarged edition, Boston: Carter & Hendee, 1830
  • also published as The American Frugal Housewife. Boston: Carter & Hendee, 1832.
• The Mother's Book. Boston: Carter, Hendee & Babcock; Baltimore, MD: Charles Carter, 1831; London: Tegg, 1832
  • revised and enlarged edition, New York: C.S. Francis; Boston: Joseph H. Francis, 1844.
• The Biographies of Madame de Staël, and Madame Roland, (volume 1 of Ladies' Family Library). Boston: Carter & Hendee, 1832
  • republished in part as The Biography of Madame de Staël. Edinburgh: Thomas Clark, 1836
  • 1832 edition revised and enlarged as Memoirs of Madame de Staël, and of Madame Roland. New York: C.S. Francis; Boston: J.H. Francis, 1847.
• The Biographies of Lady Russell and Madame Guyon (volume 2 of Ladies' Family Library). Boston: Carter & Hendee, 1832 ** republished in part as The Biography of Lady Russell. Edinburgh: Thomas Clark, 1836.
• Good Wives (volume 3 of Ladies' Family Library). Boston: Carter, Hendee, 1833
  • republished as Biographies of Good Wives. New York: C.S. Francis; Boston: J.H. Francis, 1846; London: Griffin, 1849
  • republished as Celebrated Women; or, Biographies of good wives. New York: Charles S. Francis, 1861
  • republished as Married Women: Biographies of good wives. New York: Charles S. Francis, 1871.
• An Appeal in Favor of That Class of Americans Called Africans. Boston: Allen & Ticknor, 1833.
• The History of the Condition of Women, in various ages and nations (2 volumes [volumes 4 and 5 of Ladies' Family Library]). Boston: John Allen, 1835; London, 1835. Volume I, Volume II.
  • revised and republished as Brief History of the Condition of Women, in Various Ages and Nations. New York: C.S. Francis; Boston: J.H. Francis, 1845.
• Anti-Slavery Catechism. Newburyport, MA: Charles Whipple, 1836.
• The Evils of Slavery, and the Cure of Slavery: The first proved by the opinions of Southerners themselves, the last shown by historical evidence. Newburyport, MA: Charles Whipple, 1836.
• The Family Nurse; or Companion of "The Frugal Housewife". Boston: Charles J. Hendee, 1837.
• Letters from New-York [first series]. New York: C.S. Francis; Boston: James Munroe, 1843; London: Bentley, 1843.
• Letters from New-York. Second Series. New York: C.S. Francis; Boston: J.H. Francis, 1845.
• Sketches from Real Life. I. The Power of Kindness. II. Home and Politics. Philadelphia, PA: Hazard & Mitchell, 1850; London: Collins, 1850
  • republished as The Power of Kindness; and other stories. Philadelphia, PA: Hazard, 1853).
• Isaac T. Hopper: A true life. Boston: John P. Jewett; Cleveland, OH: Jewett, Proctor & Worthington, 1853; London: Sampson Low, 1853.
• The Progress of Religious Ideas, Through Successive Ages (3 volumes). New York: C.S. Francis, 1855; London: Sampson Low, 1855. Volume I, Volume II, Volume III.
• The Right Way The Safe Way, Proved by emancipation in the British West Indies, and elsewhere. New York, 1860; enlarged, 1862.
• The Duty of Disobedience to the Fugitive Slave Act: An appeal to the legislators of Massachusetts. Boston: American Anti-Slavery Society, 1860.
• An Appeal for the Indians. New York: Wm. P. Tomlinson, 1868.
• Hobomok and other writings on Indians (edited by Carolyn L. Karcher). Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1986.

Juvenile

• Evenings in New England. Intended for Juvenile Amusement and Instruction (as "an American Lady"). Boston: Cummings, Hilliard, 1824.
• Emily Parker, or Impulse, Not Principle. Intended for Young Persons (as "the author of Evenings in New England and editor of The Juvenile Miscellany"). Boston: Bowles & Dearborn, 1827.
• Biographical Sketches of Great and Good Men. Designed for the Amusement and Instruction of Young Persons (as "the editor of The Miscellany"). Boston: Putnam & Hunt; Philadelphia, PA: Thomas T. Ash, 1828.
• The First Settlers of New-England: or, Conquest of the Pequods, Narragansets and Pokanokets: As Related by a Mother to Her Children, and Designed for the Instruction of Youth, (as "a Lady of Massachusetts"). Boston: Munroe & Francis; New York: Charles S. Francis, 1829.
• The Little Girl's Own Book Boston: Carter, Hendee & Babcock, 1831; London: Tegg, 1832
  • enlarged edition, Boston: Carter & Hendee, 1834).
• The Coronal. A Collection of Miscellaneous Pieces, Written at Various Times. Boston: Carter & Hendee, 1832
  • republished as The Mother's Story Book; or Western Coronal. A Collection of Miscellaneous Pieces. By Mrs. Child . . . To Which Are Added a Few Tales, by Mary Howitt, and Caroline Fry. London, Edinburgh, Dublin & Glasgow: T.T. & J. Tegg, 1833.
• Flowers for Children. I. For Children Eight or Nine Years Old. New York: C.S. Francis; Boston: J.H. Francis, 1844
  • republished as The Christ-Child, and other stories. Boston: Lothrop; Dover, NH: G.T. Day, 1869.
• Flowers for Children. II. For Children from Four to Six Years Old. New York: C.S. Francis; Boston: J.H. Francis, 1844
  • republished as Good Little Mitty, and other stories. Boston: Lothrop; Dover, NH: G.T. Day, 1869.
• Flowers for Children. III. For Children of Eleven and Twelve Years of Age. New York: C.S. Francis; Boston: J.H. Francis, 1847
  • republished as Making Something, and other stories. Boston: Lothrop; Dover, NH: G.T. Day, 1869.
• The Children's Gems. The Brother and Sister: and other stories (anonymous) (Philadelphia. PA: New Church Book Store, 1852.
• A New Flowers for Children. For Children from Eight to Twelve Years Old. New York: C.S. Francis, 1856.
• The Magician's Show Box and other stories (with Carolyn Sturgis Tappan). Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1887.

Edited

• The Juvenile Souvenir (edited, with contributions, by Child, as "the editor of The Juvenile Miscellany"). Boston: Marsh & Capen; John Putnam, 1827.
• Moral Lessons in Verse (edited by Child, as "the editor of The Juvenile Miscellany"). Cambridge, MA: Hilliard & Brown, 1828.
• The Oasis (edited, with contributions, by Child). Boston: Allen & Ticknor, 1834.
• Authentic Anecdotes of American Slavery nos. 1-3 (edited anonymously, with contributions, by Child). Newburyport, MA: Charles Whipple, 1835-1838.
• American Anti-Slavery Almanac [for 1843] (edited by Child). New York: American Anti-Slavery Society, 1842.
• Carolyn Sturgis Tappan, Rainbows for Children (illustrated by Samuel Wallin). New York: C.S. Francis / Boston: J.H. Francis, 1847 [1848].
• The Patriarchal Institution: As described by members of its own family (edited by Child). New York: American Anti-Slavery Society, 1860.
• Harriet Jacobs (as "Lynda Brent"), Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (edited by Child). Boston: privately published, 1861
  • republished as The Deeper Wrong; or, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. London: Tweedie, 1862.
• Looking toward Sunset: From sources old and new, original and selected (edited, with contributions, by Child). Boston: Ticknor & Fields, 1865.
• The Freedmen's Book The Freedmen's Book] (edited, with contributions, by Child). Boston: Ticknor & Fields, 1865.
• Aspirations of the World. A Chain of Opals (edited, with an introduction, by Child). Boston: Roberts, 1878.

Collected editions

• A Lydia Maria Child Reader (edited by Carolyn L. Karcher). Durham, NC, & London: Duke University Press, 1997.

Letters

• Correspondence between Lydia Maria Child and Gov. Wise and Mrs. Mason of Virginia. Boston: American Anti-Slavery Society, 1860.
• Letters of Lydia Maria Child, with a biographical introduction by John G. Whittier and an appendix by Wendell Phillips, (edited by Harriet Winslow Sewall). Boston: Houghton, Mifflin, 1882.
• The Collected Correspondence of Lydia Maria Child, 1817-1880 (edited by Patricia G. Holland, Milton Meltzer, and Francine Krasno). Millwood, NY: Kraus Microform, 1980.
• Lydia Maria Child: Selected Letters, 1817-1880 (edited by Patricia G. Holland, Milton Meltzer, and Francine Krasno). Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press, 1982.

Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy the Poetry Foundation.

The New England Boy's Song about Thanksgiving Day by Lydia Maria Child (Poem in American English)

See also

English Poems The Maiden and the Bird - Lydia Maria Child (текст, перевод слов, транскрипция)

• The Knickerbocker poets
• List of U.S. poets

References

• Baer, Helene Gilbert The Heart is Like Heaven: the life of Lydia Maria Child, 339 pages, University of Pennsylvania Press, 1964.
• Karcher, Carolyn L. The First Woman in the Republic: A Cultural Biography of Lydia Maria Child. Durham: Duke UP, 1994.
• Harrold, Stanley. American Abolitionists. Essex, England: Pearson Education Limited, 2001.
• Salerno, Beth A. Sister Societies: Women’s Antislavery Societies in Antebellum America. DeKalb, Illinois: Northern Illinois University Press, 2005.
• Teets- Parzynski, Catherine. “Child, Lydia Maria Francis.” American National Biography Online. http://www.anb.org/articles/15/15-00127.html.
• "Child, Lydia Maria (Francis)" American Authors 1600–1900. H. W. Wilson Company, NY 1938.
• WorldCat Accessed March 14, 2008
• Amazon.com Accessed March 14, 2008

External links

Poems

• "The New England Boy's Song About Thanksgiving Day"
• Selected Poetry of Lydia Maria Child (1802-1880) at Representative Poetry Online.
• Lydia Maria Francis Child at PoemHunter (3 poems).

Books

• UVA: Etexts for Lydia Child
• WorldCat.
• Page images and transcript of The Frugal Housewife, Dedicated to Those Who Are Not Ashamed of Economy
• Biography at Feeding America: The Historic American Cookbook Project
• The Mother's Book
• Works by Lydia Child at Project Gutenberg
• Lydia Maria Child at Amazon.com

About

• Lydia Maria Child 1802-1880 at the Poetry Foundation.
• Dictionary of Unitarian & Universalist:Lydia Maria Child
• Lydia Maria Child at Women's History, About.com
• Biography from Spartacus Educational
• UVA: Freedman's Book
• Biography from American National Biography
• selection of writings by Lydia which were in The Liberty Bell, an abolitionist gift book, at the website of Bucknell University, edited by Glynis Carr
• Lydia Maria Francis Child Correspondence.Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University.
• Letters of Lydia Maria Child, arranged by Harriet Winslow Sewall, from the Internet Archive