May, Samuel J. (Samuel Joseph), 1797-1871

Samuel May was a Unitarian clergyman of Syracuse, New York with connections to national organizations related to anti-Slavery, temperance, and suffrage, among others.

From the description of Samuel J. May diary, 1867. (Cornell University Library). WorldCat record id: 64691611

Samuel May was a Unitarian Clergyman of Syracuse, New York with connections to national organizations related to Freedman's Relief, Temperance, and Suffrage, among others.

From the description of Samuel J. May diary, 1869. (Cornell University Library). WorldCat record id: 64691608

Samuel J. May was a Unitarian Clergyman of Syracuse, New York, an Anti-slavery, temperance, and woman's rights activist and in contact with most of the major figures of those movements in the United States and abroad.

From the description of Samuel Joseph May diary, 1861. (Cornell University Library). WorldCat record id: 64758477

Samuel Joseph May (1797-1871) was an American Unitarian minister and civil libertarian, one of the founders of the New England Anti-Slavery Society in 1832 and of the American Anti-Slavery Society in 1833; he also worked for women's rights.

From the description of May Anti-Slavery manuscript collection, 1749-1933 (bulk 1840-1880). (Cornell University Library). WorldCat record id: 63936789

Samuel Joseph May was an American Unitarian minister and civil libertarian, one of the founders of the New England Anti-Slavery Society in 1832 and of the American Anti-Slavery Society in 1833; he also worked for women's rights.

From the description of May Anti-Slavery pamphlet collection, 1773-1934 (bulk 1830-1880). (Cornell University Library). WorldCat record id: 64094479

Samuel May was a Unitarian Clergyman of Syracuse, New York, with connections to national organizations related to Anti-Slavery, Temperance, and Suffrage, among others.

From the description of Samuel Joseph May diary, 1868. (Cornell University Library). WorldCat record id: 64691609

Samuel J. May, a Unitarian minister, was an active abolitionist, education reformer, and women's rights advocate. He assembled the May Anti-Slavery Collection and gave it to Cornell University.

From the description of Samuel J. May invitation, 1865. (Cornell University Library). WorldCat record id: 64095223

From the description of Samuel J. May invitation, [electronic resource] 1865. (Cornell University Library). WorldCat record id: 256499382

Samuel May was a Unitarian clergyman of Syracuse, New York with connections to national organizations related to freedmen's relief, temperance, and suffrage, among others.

From the description of Samuel J. May diary, 1870. (Cornell University Library). WorldCat record id: 64694402

Clergyman and abolitionist.

From the description of Papers of Samuel Joseph May [manuscript], 1822-1871. (University of Virginia). WorldCat record id: 647812868

American clergyman.

From the description of Autograph letter signed : Syracuse, to Milton A. Morris, 1865 Nov. 23. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270637603

Samuel Joseph May was a Unitarian clergyman of Syracuse, New York, in contact with most of the major figures in the temperance, woman's rights, anti-slavery, and Freedman's relief movements.

From the description of Samuel Joseph May Diary, 1866. (Cornell University Library). WorldCat record id: 64691610

From the description of Samuel Joseph May diary, 1865. (Cornell University Library). WorldCat record id: 64758479

Clergyman.

From the description of Letters of Samuel J. May, 1853. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 79454414

American reformer who championed multiple reform movements including education, womens' rights, and abolitionism.

From the description of Samuel Joseph May letter, between 1831 and 1861. (Louisiana State University). WorldCat record id: 692451860

Samuel J. May, a Unitarian Clergyman of Syracuse, New York, was an anti-slavery, temperance, and woman's rights activist and in contact with most of the major figures of those movements in the United States and abroad.

From the description of Samuel Joseph May diary, 1859. (Cornell University Library). WorldCat record id: 64758474

May was a Unitarian clergyman and social reformer who advocated women's rights, temperance and abolition of slavery.

From the description of To William Plumer, Jr. 1843 February 19 Letter. (Filson Historical Society, The). WorldCat record id: 49251764

Samuel May was a Unitarian Clergyman of Syracuse, New York with connections to national organizations related to Anti-Slavery, Temperance, and Suffrage, among others.

From the description of Samuel J. May diary, 1860. (Cornell University Library). WorldCat record id: 64758004

Samuel Joseph May (1797-1871) was a Unitarian minister, pacifist, abolitionist, and social and educational reformer. He graduated from Harvard University in 1817 and then attended divinity school in Cambridge, Massachusetts. After a brief stint in Boston, he accepted the invitation of the Brooklyn, Connecticut Congregational church (the only Congregational body in Connecticut to embrace liberal theology). He later ministered for many years in Syracuse, New York, at what is now known as May Memorial Unitarian Universalist Society. He advocated and organized on behalf of freedom and civil rights for blacks, emancipation and voting rights for women, and just rights for workers. His progressive and liberal beliefs meant that he was often at odds with ministerial colleagues, church members, and the public at large.

When he died, Andrew D. White, then president of Cornell University, spoke of him as "the best man, the most truly Christian man, I have ever known."

[Portions of this biographical sketch adapted from the Dictionary of Unitarian and Universalist Biography and from the Harvard Square Library's online article, "Unitarianism in America." ]

From the guide to the Samuel J. May Correspondence, 1832-1899, (Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries)