He knew about building alliances, when to b… [2] Robert moved to a house in Mount Vernon, Philadelphia. [13]:24 She spoke for the right to vote for women[11]:10 and blacks and against segregation. Harriet Forten Purvis (1810-1875), Philadelphia: Daughter of wealthy sail maker and abolitionist reformer James Forten, Sr., Harriet and her sister were founding members of the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society, and members of the American Equal Rights Association, where Harriet served on the executive committee. Harriet Forten Purvis, ca. She was a founding member of the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society in 1833, and a leading member of the city's Female Vigilant Society, which provided aid and transport to runaway slaves. Purvis, Lucretia Mott, and Sarah Pugh stayed true to their stance on free produce as a matter of principle. [2][3] Forten, born in 1766, was a powder boy and was taken prisoner from the Royal Lewis during the Revolutionary War. Harriet Forten Purvis. Public domain. [3], Her father established a private school with Grace Douglass. Her brothers were James, William Deas, Robert Bridges, and Thomas. These abolitionists’ firsthand accounts of slavery’s agonizing and vast horrors helped to propel the system’s abolishment. In 1867, a state law was passed that provided equal access to the public vehicles for all races. Many abolitionists who visited Philadelphia stayed in the Forten house. She was one of the "Forten Sisters" consisting of three of the daughters of James Forten: Sarah, Harriet Forten Purvis (1810–1875), and Margaretta Forten (1808–1875). [7]:42 Others in the city rallied against blacks and people who aided refugee slaves, which erupted in race riots and violence in the 1830s. [2] The hall was destroyed when it was set on fire by a group of people who were pro-slavery. Harriett and nine others initiated a boycott of non-free (slave labor) products, including cotton and produce. [13]:16–17 Harriet's daughter, Hattie became the first African American vice president of the organization. Harriet was named for one of Bridge's daughters. Harriet was a member of the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society and, while pregnant, attended the Women's Anti-Slavery Convention in New York in 1837 with two of her sisters. 1874. During the Civil War, he served as both a physician and nurse for the Union Army. [7]:31, 97, She was married in her family's home on September 13, 1831 to a light-skinned African-American, Robert Purvis from South Carolina. Born Harriet Davy Forten in 1810 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; died of tuberculosis on June 11, 1875, in Philadelphia; daughter of James Forten (b. [7]:30–31,96 Harriet's elegant English-style house and grounds, called Saint's Rest by abolitionist Sallie Holley, had a calming and restful effect on its visitors. Abolitionist and poet John Greenleaf Whittier wrote a verse for Harriet, expressing his admiration of her. Harriet Forten Purvis (1810 – June 11, 1875) was an African-American abolitionist and first generation suffragist.wikipedia. 1766, a wealthy businessman) and his second wife Charlotte (Vandine) Forten; sister of Sarah Forten Purvis (c. 1811–c. She sought people who had similar interests in music, art, and literature. Harriet Forten Purvis (1810 – June 11, 1875) was an African-American abolitionist and first generation suffragist. Frank Johnson, a black band leader, wrote music for her poem The Grave of the Slave,[3] which was often played at anti-slavery events. The household of Robert and Harriet Forten Purvis became a major haven for abolitionists and fugitive slaves alike. Because women were not permitted to join the American Anti-Slavery Society, Harriett joined with more than a dozen other women, including suffragist and abolitionist Lucretia Mott, to establish the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society. Alongside her husband, Harriet Forten Purvis was a conductor on the Underground Railroad. Later, to escape a violent backlash, the couple retreated to the rural community of Byberry, where their home, Harmony Hall, because a prominent station on the Underground Railroad. Harriet Forten Purvis was an abolitionist and suffragist who founded the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society with her mother, sisters, and Lucretia Mott, among others in 1833. [6], Two years after her death, a daughter died. Her role within the Society gave her the opportunity to associate with anti-slavery leaders from outside Philadelphia, such as the well-known African-American lecturer Sarah Parker Remond. She was a member of the American Equal Rights Association and then the National Woman Suffrage Association. [2] Her younger sisters were Sara and Margaretta, born in 1814 and 1815. Like her father, Purvis was a wealthy man. Biography. [2] In 1838, the convention was held in Philadelphia at the new Pennsylvania Hall,[2] which was built by the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society. [10]:67, 144, Not put off by the riot the previous year, Harriet attended the convention the following two years. The abolitionist movement is remembered in history along with names like Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth. Name variations: Harriet Forten; Hattie Purvis. He married Harriet Forten, the daughter of noted black community leader James Forten, and the Purvis-Forten family proved to be a formidable alliance in antebellum Philadelphia. The sisters, along with their mother, Charlotte Vandine Forten, formed the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society in 1833. Genealogy profile for Harriet Davey Purvis Harriet Davey Purvis (Forten) (1810 - 1875) - Genealogy Genealogy for Harriet Davey Purvis (Forten) (1810 - 1875) family tree on Geni, with over 200 million profiles of ancestors and living relatives. [7]:31 They had deep and long-term friendships with notable black and white reformers, under the belief that we are all "but one race". With her mother and sisters, she formed the first biracial women’s abolitionist group, the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society, which was the first biracial women’s abolitionist group. Although never elected to political office, and effectively disenfranchised, James Forten was a shrewd political operator. Harriet Forten Purvis. [14], Harriet Forten Purvis (1810-1875), taken about 1874, CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (, "Women In The Abolition Movement: Historic Sites In Philadelphia", "Burlington County Women's Advisory Council Hosting Letters to Aunt Hattie Event", National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park, Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park, Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center, The Railroad to Freedom: A Story of the Civil War, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Harriet_Forten_Purvis&oldid=1004189026, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Abolitionist, suffragette, Underground Railroad station owner, This page was last edited on 1 February 2021, at 13:18. The household of Robert and Harriet Forten Purvis became a major haven for fugitive slaves. By the 1830s, his was one of the most powerful black voices, not just for men and women of color in his native city, but for many thousands more throughout the North. Purvis, Harriet Forten (1810–1875)African-American abolitionist. [3] The first country's biracial abolitionist organization, the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society, was founded by Charlotte, her daughters,[3] and Lucretia Mott. 50 Related Articles [filter] Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society. She fought against segregation and for the right for blacks to vote after the Civil War. [13]:34–35,42, In 1873, Robert and Harriet moved to a Mount Vernon neighborhood with Georgianna and Harriet, who were still at home. Harriet Forten Purvis. In the decades that followed, bold trailblazers like Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Harriet Forten Purvis, and Frances Ellen Watkins Harper carried forward and fought for the fundamental right of women to vote. Purvis. [11]:12 They assisted about 9,000 runaway slaves along their journey to Canada. "[8]:14[9]:121 She was often hostess to visiting fellow activists and abolitionists, including William Lloyd Garrison, George Benson, and George Thompson. Three of their sons died, one from meningitis and the others from tuberculosis, which was the cause of Harriet's death on June 11, 1875. [6] Robert Purvis helped his wife out of the carriage and angry people who looked on thought that they were an interracial couple promoting "amalgamation" of the races. The Purvises also entertained many of the leading abolitionists of their day, including William Lloyd Garrison and John Greenleaf Whittier, who wrote a poem dedicated to Harriet and her sisters. It was already law, but Vermont showed … Additionally, Harriet Forten Purvis was an African-American abolitionist and first-generation suffragist. Harriet Forten Purvis (1810-1875) was an African-American abolitionist and first generation suffragette. 1874. These Philadelphia women, among the first in the nation to form an interracial, women’s anti-slavery society, included Sarah Mapps Douglass, Charlotte Forten and her daughter Harriet Forten Purvis — free, middle-class African American activists and feminists — and Lucretia Mott, Angelina Grimké Weld, and her sister Sarah Moore Grimke, who were white Quaker feminists. Robert and Harriet also founded the Gilbert Ly As author Carol Faulkner states, they "believed that hypocrisy threatened the success of their crusade. Harriet Forten Purvis.Harriet Forten Purvis was an abolitionist and suffragist who founded the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society with her mother, sisters, and Lucretia Mott, among others in 1833. Elizabeth Blackwell was born on this day in 1821. [4]:172, They employed servants, including an English governess, which made it possible for Harriet to actively work on the causes important to her. [3] Harriet's brother Robert was left a widower about 1840 and his daughter, Charlotte, lived with the Purvis's and received her education from a private tutor. [14], Harriet became involved in the Free Produce Society. He knew how to use the press and the speaker’s podium. Harriet Forten Purvis - Overview Like many other women during the period of the civil war, Harriet Forten Purvis split her time between fighting against slavery and fighting for the right to vote. February 8, 2021. Purvis, Robert August 4, 1810April 19, 1898 Abolitionist and political leader Robert Purvis [1] was born in Charleston, South Carolina [2], the second of three sons of William Purvis, a British cotton merchant, and Harriet Judah, a free woman of color. [2] Harriet was a member of the Black Female Literary Association, Edgeworth Literary Association, and Female Minervian Association. She was born in 1839 to activists Harriet Forten Purvis and Robert Purvis. Harriet Forten Purvis was an abolitionist and suffragist who founded the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society with her mother, sisters, and Lucretia Mott, among others in 1833. She was a member of the American Equal Rights Association and then the National Woman Suffrage Association. Forten, along with her mother and aunts, Margaretta Forten and Harriet Forten Purvis, and her grandmother, also named Charlotte, established the bi-racial movement called Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery society. It also generated reactions among people who feared mixture of the races, or miscegenation, and were generally concerned about women's intervention in public affairs. Its members purchased local produce and boycotted produce grown and picked by slaves. She hosted anti-slavery events at her home and with her husband Robert Purvis ran an Underground Railroad station. Harriet is known for helping Forten, Margaretta (1808–1875)African-American abolitionist and educator. , Turning Point Suffragist Memorial Association. When a rift in the movement developed over whether to include women in the 15th Amendment on suffrage for men who were former slaves, Harriett joined forces with an old friend, Susan B. Anthony, and united with the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) to support an amendment for women’s suffrage. The Purvis children attended the Byberry Friend School. Harriet Forten Purvis, ca. With her mother and sisters, she formed the first biracial women's abolitionist group, the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society. Purvis helped establish both the American Anti-Slavery Society and the Vigilance Committee in Philadelphia during the 1830s. He attended Oberlin College and Wooster Medical College (Western Reserve). [7]:97 Harriet only bought produce and products that was not made or grown by slaves. Visit DPLA Harmful Language Statement. Some people gossiped about the variation in their skin tone. In 1849, Amelia Bloomer started publishing the Lily in Seneca Falls, the first newspaper for women in the United States. Charlotte Forten was a remarkable activist and woman of intellect born in wealth during her time. In 1849, Amelia Bloomer started publishing the Lily in Seneca Falls, the first newspaper for women in the United States. [15] Robert Purvis refused to pay the local school tax in 1853, since his children would not be afforded an education in the schools. About Timeline Key Figures Collections Partners. Purvis, Jr. worked closely with Susan B. Anthony.. [7]:97 It was an activity that she continued even after some, like Garrison, question its effectiveness. [15] He married the Quaker poet Tacie Townsend, a white woman from Byberry, about 1878. The following year, it was a biracial event. Name variations: Harriet Forten; Hattie Purvis. She engaged in debate and enjoyed reading aloud, with a clear speaking voice. [2][1] The situation became dangerous in central Philadelphia and the family moved to a farm in rural Byberry, Philadelphia[15] in 1843[2] or 1844. With her mother and sisters, she formed the first biracial women's abolitionist group, the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society. This one-woman play is about African American Philadelphia civil rights activist, Harriet Forten Purvis (Hattie) (1810-1875). The convention then convened at teacher and abolitionist Sarah Pugh's school. Rosalyn Terborg-Penn, African American Women in the Struggle for the Vote, 1850-1920 (Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1998). Until 1854, Sojourner Truth was the most prominent African-American abolitionist who also advocated for the rights of women. She was the daughter of James Forten, a sailmaker and abolitionist (1766-1842) and Charlotte Vandine Forten, a teacher (1785-1884). With her mother and sisters, she formed the first biracial women's abolitionist group, the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society. But in the years that followed, African-American women became more visible and vocal in their beliefs. [2] Harriet and Robert worked together on their shared interests, activism, and reform efforts. She was a member of the American Equal Rights Association and then the National Woman Suffrage Association. [6] The Forten women were active members and officers. Here, she turned her skills as a seamstress to both the sewing committee of the Society and a sewing school in a poorer part of the city. Harriet Forten-Purvis, the abolitionist movement The abolitionist movement is remembered in history along with names like Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth. Harriet and her siblings attended the school and was also taught foreign languages and music by private tutors. [6], She saw the need for anti-slavery legislation and means to affect greater equality for African Americans in greater clarity as a mother. Harriet Forten Purvis, circa 1874. And her children would be subject to racial prejudice, even though the family lived a financially comfortable life. She fought against segregation and for the right for blacks to vote after the Civil War. Harriet Forten Purvis - Overview Like many other women during the period of the civil war, Harriet Forten Purvis split her time between fighting against slavery and fighting for the right to vote. Purvis née Forten was born in 1814 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Robert and Harriet also founded the Gilbert Lyceum. [11]:17, Harriet's eight children were one to eighteen years of age in 1850. [6] Harriet and her sister Margaretta Forten were key organizers of the Fifth National Women's Rights Convention in Philadelphia in 1854. var year = new Date(); Copyright © Harriet Forten Purvis Harriet Forten Purvis (1810 – June 11, 1875) was an African-American abolitionist and first generation suffragist. In addition to organizing the annual conventions, women’s rights activism in the antebellum era included writing, lecturing, and petitioning legislators for change. Though it initially focused on temperance, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, writing under the … [2] She was also said to have the ladylike demeanor and manners of a Southern belle. February 7, 2021. It is based on correspondence between Harriet and her niece Charlotte. [9]:121 They lived near Robert and Harriet's family in Byberry. At a young age, Charlotte Forten suffered the death of her mother. Raised by parents who were abolitionists themselves, it’s safe to say that it was in her blood to become one as well. The Female Antislavery Society continued to meet and in September 1866 to discuss the status of the South. Harriet Purvis, Jr. also known as Hattie Purvis (1839 – 1904) was an African-American abolitionist, suffragist and a member of the temperance movement. Robert and Harriet also founded the Gilbert Lyceum. [2] Their children were educated by private tutors and at Quaker schools. [11]:17 Charlotte "drew personal comfort and intellectual delight" from her aunt. Charlotte Forten Biography, Life, Interesting Facts. They were married by an Episcopal bishop in an "elegant ceremony". She hosted anti-slavery events at her home and with her husband Robert Purvis ran an Underground Railroad station. Abolitionists like Sojourner Truth, Henrietta Purvis, Harriet Forten Purvis and Sarah Parker Remond were avowed suffragists who passionately advocated … With her mother and sisters, she formed the first biracial women's abolitionist group, the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society.She hosted anti-slavery events at her home and with her husband Robert Purvis ran an Underground Railroad station. [3], Harriet, Robert, and Octavius Catto worked to desegregate streetcars in Philadelphia. Harriet “Hattie” Purvis (1810-1875) A niece of the Forten family of reformers, Purvis was active in the Pennsylvania Woman Suffrage Association and a member of their executive committee. With her mother and sisters, she formed the first biracial women's abolitionist group, the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society. He married abolitionist Harriet Forten Purvis, and their home became a vital waystation for escaped slaves on the way to freedom in Canada and elsewhere, and Purvis was unofficially hailed as "President of the Underground Railroad". [11]:10 Charlotte then lived in Salem, Massachusetts with another prominent black family[3] in 1853. Robert and Harriet also founded the Gilbert Lyceum. [3] There was also a sister named Mary Isabella. Harriet Forten-Purvis, the abolitionist movement. She was also a supporter of the women’s rights movement. Harriet Davy Forten, born in Philadelphia in 1810, was one of eight children of James Forten and Charlotte Vandine Forten,[2][3] who lived at 92 Lombard Street. [8]:14 Charles Burleigh Purvis was a physician, medical school educator, and the first African American to run a civilian hospital. Purvis, Harriet Forten (1810–1875)African-American abolitionist. [4]:169 William Lloyd Garrison wrote of the family "who have few superiors in refinement, in moral worth, in all that makes the human character worthy of admiration and praise. After the Civil War, a number of African Americans and white abolitionists and suffragists joined together to work for universal suffrage forming the American Equal Rights Association in 1866. [7]:97[10]:67–68 In 1834, 44 churches and buildings owned by blacks were set on fire. Website designed, developed, maintained and Search Engine Optimization by Intelligent Evolution, Inc. http://explorepahistory.com/hmarker.php?markerId=1-A-107, Two Silent Sentinels Inducted into Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame, Jane E. Waldron (September 21, 1861 — January 2, 1941), Groundbreaking for the Turning Point Suffragist Memorial, Governor Walter Eli Clark (January 7, 1869 – February 4, 1950), Countdown to Suffrage Centennial Silent Sentinel Awards Gala, Virginia Suffragist Sophie Meredith, “A Zealous Pioneer for Women”. Other black women who worked for women's right to vote included Sojourner Truth, Amelia Shadd, Mary Ann Shadd Cary, Nancy Prince, and Francis Ellen Watkins Harper. [2], Harriet was a member of the National Woman Suffrage Association and a friend of Susan B. Anthony[13]:34 and Lucretia Mott,[1] who also worked for the right to vote for blacks and women, against slavery, and for safe passage of refugee slaves. She was part of the second generation of American suffragists. Harriet Forten Purvis. [7]:186, The family was beset by a series of illnesses. Due to segregation in Philadelphia, Robert did not think that she would get a good education in the city. Harriet Forten Purvis was a founding member of the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society, and for many years the chief organizer of the annual Anti-Slavery Bazaars held in Philadelphia to raise money for the cause. [5], James and Charlotte helped found and fund six abolitionist organizations. Harriet Forten Purvis (1810-1875) was an African-American abolitionist and first generation suffragette.With her mother and sisters, she formed the first biracial women's abolitionist group, the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society.She hosted anti-slavery events at her home and with her husband Robert Purvis ran an Underground Railroad station. She fought against segregation and for the right for blacks to vote after the Civil War. Harriet Forten-Purvis, 1810-1875. "[4]:169 Her father is one of the 100 Greatest African Americans, as determined by Professor Molefi Kete Asante in 2002. Biography. The Historical Society of Pennsylvania: Our Sphere of Influence: Women Activists and the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society. [2] The Fortens, the most well-known black family in the city,[3] were noted for their gentility and hospitality. The household of Robert and Harriet Forten Purvis became a major haven for fugitive slaves. Harriett Forten married Robert Purvis in 1832 and made a home for their children in Philadelphia, where both Harriett and Robert led their communities in the fight for civil rights. Harriet is known for helping Nevada ratified the 19th Amendment on this day in 1920. Investing his inheritance into real estate, Purvis was able to support his family of eight children and focus his attention on the fight against slavery. Together with her sister Margaretta, who was also an educator and abolitionist, Harriet became one of the lead organizers of the fifth annual National Woman’s Rights Convention. Abolitionist and suffragist. These abolitionists’ firsthand accounts of slavery’s agonizing and vast horrors helped to propel the system’s abolishment. Private schools for African Americans were not as good as the public schools for whites. She was the granddaughter of James Forten. . Harriet Forten Purvis. Harriet Forten Purvis, circa 1874. [13]:34 Harriet's sisters and Charlotte were also first generation suffragists. She lectured on civil rights and in a speech to the Society on September 13, 1866, denounced segregation on railroad cars. [2] She was a delegate at the 1838 and 1839 conventions. [2][7]:186 She died in Washington, D.C., where Robert worked as commissioner of Freedman’s Saving Bank,[14] and was buried in Germantown at the Quaker Fair Hill Burial Ground[2] at 9th and Cambria. Also nearby was the Friends' Library Company and Philosophical Society and Purvis Hall, which was built by Robert Purvis in 1846 and was a meeting location for anti-slavery meetings and other community activities. [6] Unable to rent a hall in Philadelphia in 1839, the convention met at a riding stables. [11]:12 Harriet hosted meetings of abolitionists in her house[2] and was a leader of the Female Vigilant Society,[1] which provided monies for transportation and clothing to the travelers. Harriet Forten Purvis (1810-1875) was an African-American abolitionist and first generation suffragette. They kept their Byberry home, Harmony Hall, and rented it to the Pierce family. "[10]:114, Harriet and Robert, called the father of the Underground Railroad for his founding of Philadelphia's Vigilance Committee,[3]:61 began a station in their home at 9th and Lombard Street in Philadelphia. [3] Her father was given a start in business by Robert Bridges, a white sailmaker. Next storyHappy birthday to Harriet Forten Purvis, an abolitionist, suffragist and woman of color who helped establish the first multiracial women’s abolitionist group. The Sheltered but Educated Child. document.write(year.getFullYear()); Immediately following the Civil War, a number of African Americans, white abolitionists and suffragists joined together to work for universal suffrage. Harriet Forten Purvis (1810 – 1875) The daughter of leading African-American abolitionists James and Charlotte Forten, Harriet Forten Purvis was a powerful 19 th century voice for equal rights for all—including women. Harriet Forten Purvis was born on this day in 1810. Robert Purvis founded Philadelphia Vigilance Committee in 1837, and after he and Harriett used their Philadelphia home to harbor escaped slaves, he became known as the father of the Underground Railroad. Investing his inheritance into real estate, Purvis was able to support his family of eight children and focus his attention on the fight against slavery. The daughter of leading African-American abolitionists James and Charlotte Forten, Harriet Forten Purvis was a powerful 19th century voice for equal rights for all—including women. Harriet joined other active members, including Sarah Remond and Sojourner Truth in public advocacy of voting rights for African Americans and women. [2][6] Black and white women participated as equals in the organization, which rare at the time. The copyright status of items in DPLA's Black Women's Suffrage Collection varies. [2], The Byberry Friends Meeting, a Quaker meeting house, was located across the street from the Purvis house. Previous storyWyoming ratified the 19th Amendment on January 27, 1920. [8]:14, Harriet read a wide range of literature, including novels, religious works, literary criticism, antislavery literature, and William Shakespeare. [7]:96, After the Thirteenth Amendment was passed, Purvis continued her efforts to improve the rights of African Americans. Library of Congress // Public Domain. This was done in conjunction with the Pennsylvania State Equal Rights League. [7]:96 Harriet co-chaired Philadelphia Women's Anti-Slavery Society fairs,[3] which between 1840 and 1861 raised $32,000 (equivalent to $983,424 in 2019). 50 Related Articles [filter] Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society. [4]:172 She was often a delegate to the Free Produce Conventions[7]:96 and was a member of the Colored Free Produce Association. Harriet Forten Purvis was an African-American abolitionist and suffragist who helped establish the first women’s abolitionist group for blacks and whites, the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society. Raised by parents who were abolitionists themselves, it’s safe to say that it was in her blood to become one as well. Harriett Forten married Robert Purvis in 1832 and made a home for their children in Philadelphia, where both Harriett and Robert led their communities in the fight for civil rights. Harriet Forten Purvis (1810 – June 11, 1875) was an African-American abolitionist and first generation suffragist. In 1866, they formed the American Equal Rights Association (AERA). Public domain. [7]:20 The girls were raised to be refined women. With her mother and sisters, she formed the first biracial women's abolitionist group, the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society. [10]:68, Harriet's sister Sarah, who married Robert's brother Joseph Purvis, wrote articles and poems for the Liberator under pseudonyms. 1766, a wealthy businessman) and his second wife Charlotte (Vandine) Forten; sister of Sarah Forten Purvis (c. 1811–c. February 3, 2021. Robert and Harriet became involved with the Pennsylvania State Equal Rights League and American Equal Rights Association,[2] and served on the executive committee. Harriet Forten, the daughter of prominent African American entrepreneur James Forten, was born in Philadelphia in 1810. Year by year he grew in stature as a public figure. In addition to organizing the annual conventions, women’s rights activism in the antebellum era included writing, lecturing, and petitioning legislators for change. Purvis, an abolitionist and anti-slavery lecturer, was very open about his family history. 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