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Did you know the first laureate to idealize her African and Native American heritage in stone, Edmonia Lewis, was once falsely accused, savagely beaten and left for dead by a mob of her peers in college? After miraculously surviving the ordeal, she escaped to Boston. In Boston, white abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison as if to atone for the wrong of his country men took Lewis under his wings, and introduced her to a sympathizer and local sculptor, from whom Lewis received lessons in sculpting and became the first famous colored sculptor and art icon! Thanks to the kindness and initiative of William Lloyd Garrison.
Before this, Garrison was already a well known and influential figure in the abolitionist movement, having founded the anti slavery newspaper, The Liberator in 1831. It is said after Garrison encouraged and gave young and timid Frederick Douglass the spotlight in 1841 to speak at an anti slavery convention in Nantucket, Massachusetts ... This was Douglass' "one moment To seize everything he ever wanted and he would go on to "capture it" and not "let it slip". And so began the legend of Fredrick Douglass who gave a powerful speech about his experiences as a slave and his struggle for freedom. Garrison was so impressed by Douglass's eloquence and passion, both men quickly became friends and allies in the fight against slavery! at a time when it was uncommon for white men to do so!
#BlackHistory #AfricanAmericanHeritage #History #NativeAmericanHistory #EdmoniaLewis #WilliamLloydGarrison #WhiteAbolitionist
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