Oliver Johnson: Abolitionist, 1831--1865.
Item
-
Title
-
Oliver Johnson: Abolitionist, 1831--1865.
-
Identifier
-
AAI9969723
-
identifier
-
9969723
-
Creator
-
Raffo, Steven M.
-
Contributor
-
Adviser: Charles Strozier
-
Date
-
2000
-
Language
-
English
-
Publisher
-
City University of New York.
-
Subject
-
History, United States | Biography
-
Abstract
-
Oliver Johnson was an American abolitionist who dedicated his life to the eradication of slavery. Born in 1809 in a rural farming community in Caledonia County, Vermont, he became one of the most prominent figures in the country in the antislavery crusade. Johnson spent over 50 years of his life as an editor of a reform or antislavery newspaper. As a young man Johnson became acquainted with another young reformer named William Lloyd Garrison, and it became a friendship that lasted all their lives. Johnson was one of the 12 original members of the New England Anti-Slavery Society founded in 1831. He was also instrumental in the creation of the American Anti-Slavery Society, which was the first national antislavery society in the country. Johnson advanced to a position of leadership and power within the organization, and remained a significant member until slavery was finally abolished in 1865.;Johnson also involved himself in many of the other reform movements of the era. For a short time he joined the Hopedale community founded by Adin Ballou in Milford, Massachusetts. Later, he became a member of the Progressive Friends in Longwood, Pennsylvania. He remained an active member of the organization until his death in 1889, and is buried in the private burial grounds at Longwood, which is now part of the Pierre S. Dupont estate.;During his long career Johnson was active in politics supporting the antislavery lobby in Congress. Unlike many of his colleagues, he was an early supporter of Abraham Lincoln for the presidency, making two personal visits to meet with the President. Johnson had a wide circle of friends that included reformers, politicians, businessmen, and members of the clergy. His great skill was the ability to compromise, and he often brought many individuals together, getting them to work in agreement, where no one else could. Johnson was a man who believed in the equal rights of all individuals and spent his life striving to create a society where all people could live together in harmony. This dissertation is the first study of the life and work of Oliver Johnson.
-
Type
-
dissertation
-
Source
-
PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
-
degree
-
Ph.D.
