Foster, Abby Kelley, 1811-1887

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Abby Kelley Foster (January 15, 1811 – January 14, 1887) was an American abolitionist and radical social reformer active from the 1830s to 1870s. She became a fundraiser, lecturer and committee organizer for the influential American Anti-Slavery Society, where she worked closely with William Lloyd Garrison and other radicals. She married fellow abolitionist and lecturer Stephen Symonds Foster, and they both worked for equal rights for women and for Africans enslaved in the Americas.

Foster was born into a Quaker family in Pelham, Massachusetts in 1811, and raised in Worcester, Massachusetts. After attending boarding school, she held teaching positions in Worcester, Millbury and Lynn, Massachusetts. In Lynn, she joined the Female Anti-Slavery Society, where she became corresponding secretary and later, a national delegate to the first Anti-Slavery Convention of American Women in 1837. The following year, Foster made her first public speech against slavery, and was so well received that she abandoned her teaching career and returned to Millbury. There, she founded the Millbury Anti-Slavery Society and began lecturing for the American Anti-Slavery Society.

During the next two decades, Foster served as a lecturer, fundraiser, recruiter and organizer in the fight for abolition and suffrage. In 1850, she helped develop plans for the National Women’s Rights Convention in Massachusetts. In 1854, Foster became the chief fundraiser for the American Anti-Slavery Society, and by 1857, she was its general agent. Through the American Anti-Slavery Society, Foster continued to work for the ratification of the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments.

In her later years, once slavery was abolished and the rights of freedmen were guaranteed, Foster focused her activism primarily on women’s rights. She held meetings, arranged lectures, and called for ‘severe language’ in any resolutions that were adopted. In 1868, she was among the organizers of the founding convention of the New England Woman Suffrage Association, the first regional association advocating woman suffrage. Foster’s efforts were among those that helped lay the groundwork for the nineteenth amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Foster, Abby Kelley, 1811-1887. Letter, 1844. Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Foster, Abby Kelley, 1811-1887. Kelley-Foster papers, 1837-1893 (bulk 1837-1887). Worcester Historical Museum
referencedIn Foster family. Papers, 1827-1982 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Abby Kelley Foster papers, 1837-1887 [manuscript] Haverford College Library
referencedIn Smith, Gerrit, 1797-1874. Papers, 1762-1962 Syracuse University. Library. Special Collections Research Center
referencedIn Women's rights collection, 1789-2000 (bulk: 1864-1983) Smith College, Neilson Library
referencedIn Lutz, Alma, 1890-1973. Collection of documents by and about abolitionists and women's rights activists, 1775-1943 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Foster, Abby Kelley, 1811-1887. Papers, 1836-1891. Gadsden Public Library
referencedIn Abby's House. Records, 1983. Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Tatnuck Ladies' Sewing Circle. Records, 1847-1950. Gadsden Public Library
creatorOf Pennypacker, E. F. (Elijah Funk), 1804-1888. Letters, 1839-1861. Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
referencedIn Letters, 1839-1924 (inclusive), 1839-1891 (bulk). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Robinson, Harriet Jane Hanson, 1825-1911, and Shattuck, Harriette Lucy Robinson, 1850–1937. Papers, 1833-1937 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Phillips, Wendell, 1811-1884. Papers, 1555-1882 (bulk: 1833-1881) Houghton Library
referencedIn Chase family. Papers, c. 1787-c. 1915. Gadsden Public Library
creatorOf Foster, Abby Kelley, 1811-1887. [Kelley-Foster papers [microform]; correspondence of Mr. and Mrs. Foster relating to the abolition of slavery, ca. 1838-68] HCL Technical Services, Harvard College Library
creatorOf Foster, Abby Kelley, 1811-1887. Autograph letter signed : Worcester, Mass., [year not specified] Feb. 2. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Abby Kelley, Stephen, and Alla Foster letter collection, 19th century. Worcester Historical Museum
referencedIn Edward Morris Davis papers, 1830-1941 (inclusive), 1837-1850 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Papers of Harriet Jane Hanson Robinson and Harriette Lucy Robinson Shattuck, 1833-1937 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn National American Woman Suffrage Association. National American Woman Suffrage Association records, 1839-1961 (inclusive), 1890-1930 (bulk), [microform]. Yale University Library
referencedIn May, Samuel, 1810-1899. Papers, 1825-1903. Massachusetts Historical Society
referencedIn Papers of Francis Ellingwood Abbot, 1841-1904. Harvard University Archives.
referencedIn Women's Rights Collection, 1789-2000 (bulk: 1864-1983) Smith College, Neilson Library
referencedIn Baldwin, John D. (John Denison), 1809-1883,. Daguerreotype collection 1839-1900. Gadsden Public Library
referencedIn National American Woman Suffrage Association. National American Woman Suffrage Association records, 1839-1961 (inclusive), 1890-1930 (bulk), [microform]. University of Hawaii at Manoa, Hamilton Library
referencedIn Anthony, Susan B. (Susan Brownell), 1820-1906. Abby Kelley Foster correspondence, 1837-1887. Haverford College Library
creatorOf Foster, Abby Kelley, 1811-1887. Papers, 1837-1893. American Antiquarian Society
referencedIn Foster, Abby Kelley, 1811-1887. Letter, 1844. Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Lutz, Alma, 1890-1973. Papers, 1912-1971 Vassar College
referencedIn Hudson Family Papers MS 79., 1825-1865 Sophia Smith Collection
creatorOf Foster, Abby Kelley, 1811-1887. ALS : Millbury [Mass.], to M[aria] W[eston] Chapman, Boston, [18]40 Dec. 21. Boston Public Library, Central Library in Copley Square
referencedIn Hudson family. Papers, 1825-1865. Smith College, Neilson Library
referencedIn Harriet deGarmo Fuller papers 1852-1857 Fuller, Harriet deGarmo William L. Clements Library
referencedIn National American Woman Suffrage Association Records, 1839-1961, (bulk 1890-1930) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Foster, Abby Kelley, 1811-1887. Papers, 1836-1891. Gadsden Public Library
referencedIn Woman's rights collection, 1853-1958 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Woman's rights collection, 1853-1958 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Bowditch, Nathaniel, 1773-1838. Bowditch Family Papers, 1712-1927. Peabody Essex Museum
creatorOf Post, Calysta. ALS, 1846 [torn mo.] 15, Bainbridge, [Ohio] to Roswell Cushman / Calysta and H. Post. Haverford College Library
referencedIn Lutz, Alma, 1890-1973. Collection of documents by and about abolitionists and women's rights activists, 1775-1943 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Quaker collection 1700-1888 Quaker collection William L. Clements Library
referencedIn Fuller, Harriet deGarmo. Harriet deGarmo Fuller papers, 1852-1857. William L. Clements Library
creatorOf Abigail Kelley Foster Papers, 1836-1891 American Antiquarian Society
creatorOf Foster, Abby Kelley, 1811-1887. ALS, 1852 April 23 : Livonia, [N.Y.] to a friend. Haverford College Library
referencedIn Alma Lutz papers, 1912-1971. New York State Historical Documents Inventory
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Abbot, Francis Ellingwood, 1836-1903 person
associatedWith Abby's House. corporateBody
associatedWith ALMA LUTZ, 1890-1973 person
associatedWith ALMA LUTZ, 1890-1973 person
memberOf American Anti-Slavery Society corporateBody
associatedWith American Anti-Slavery Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Bowditch, Nathaniel, 1773-1838. person
associatedWith Chapman, Maria Weston, 1806-1885. person
associatedWith Chase family. family
correspondedWith Davis, Edward Morris, 1811-1887 person
memberOf Female Anti-Slavery Society of Lynn corporateBody
associatedWith Foster, Abby Kelley, 1811-1887. person
associatedWith Foster, Abigail Kelley, 1810-1887. person
associatedWith Foster, Alla Wright, b. 1847. person
associatedWith Foster family. family
associatedWith Foster, Paulina Wright, 1847-1925. person
spouseOf Foster, Stephen S. (Stephen Symonds), 1809-1881. person
associatedWith Fuller, Harriet deGarmo person
associatedWith Fuller, Harriet deGarmo. person
correspondedWith Garrison, William Lloyd, 1805-1879 person
associatedWith Grimké, Angelina Emily 1805-1879 person
associatedWith Heaton, Jacob, 1809-1888. person
associatedWith Historical Records Survey (U.S.) corporateBody
associatedWith Holley, Sallie, 1818-1893. person
associatedWith Hudson family family
associatedWith Hudson family. family
associatedWith Hutchinson family. family
associatedWith Hutchinson Family (Singers). corporateBody
associatedWith Liberty Party. corporateBody
associatedWith Liberty Party (U.S.) corporateBody
associatedWith Lutz, Alma, person
associatedWith May, Samuel, 1810-1899. person
correspondedWith National American Woman Suffrage Association. corporateBody
associatedWith New England Non-Resistance Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Pennypacker, E. F. (Elijah Funk), 1804-1888. person
associatedWith Phillips, Wendell, 1811-1884. person
associatedWith Pillsbury, Parker, 1809-1898. person
associatedWith Post, Calysta. person
associatedWith Quincy, Edmund, 1808-1877. person
associatedWith Robinson, Harriet Jane Hanson, 1825-1911. person
associatedWith Shattuck, Harriette Lucy Robinson, 1850-1937 person
associatedWith Smith, Gerrit, 1797-1874 person
associatedWith Society of Friends. corporateBody
correspondedWith Stanton, Elizabeth Cady, 1815-1902 person
associatedWith Stone, Lucy, 1818-1893. person
associatedWith Tatnuck Ladies' Sewing Circle. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Works Progress Administration. corporateBody
associatedWith Vassar College. corporateBody
associatedWith William L. Clements Library corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Lynn MA US
Providence RI US
Worcester MA US
Millbury MA US
Pelham MA US
Subject
Slavery
Slavery
Abolitionists
African Americans
Antislavery movements
Children
Courtship
Society of Friends
Women
Women's rights
Occupation
Abolitionists
Human rights workers
Suffragists
Women abolitionists
Women human rights workers
Activity

Person

Birth 1811-01-15

Death 1887-01-14

Female

Americans

English

Information

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