Advisor(s)
Amy Watson
Committee Member(s)
Andrew Baer
Brian Steele
School
College of Arts and Sciences
Document Type
Thesis
Department (new version)
Arts & Humanities
Date of Award
9-11-2025
Abstract
The adoption of quietist theology by the Quaker community in the early nineteenth century created a divide between Quakers and their abolitionist movement due to the differing methods to achieve an end to slavery. Quaker society began to adopt a stance that avoided all controversies and employed conservative actions to combat slavery while abolitionist began to speak out more against the evils of slavery regardless of any controversy. This divided left Quaker abolitionist like John Greenleaf Whittier and the Grimké sisters with the choice to distance themselves from the Society of Friends or the abolitionist movement. Whittier and the Grimké sisters provided ample evidence through their writings as they expressed a need to deny slavery and chose to embrace abolitionism due to their strong convictions against slavery.
ProQuest ID
Recommended Citation
Ledlow, David Mark, "Those Who Strayed: Quaker Abolitionist John Greenleaf Whittier, And The Grimké Sisters Who Broke From The Society Of Friends To Actively Oppose Slavery In The Antebellum Era" (2025). All ETDs from UAB. 7421.
https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/7421
