Lydia  Maria  Child

Hello, my name is Lydia Child. I was known in my lifetime as an abolitionist and women's right activist. I was born on February 11, 1802 in Medford, Massachusetts. My parents, Susannah Rand Francis and Convers Francis, raised me in Medford as the youngest of six other siblings. My father was also anti-slavery which influenced me from a young age. In 1829, I married my husband, David Child, who was a lawyer and editor for a journal in Massachusetts. 

I was introduced to William Lloyd Garrison in the 1830s which began my literary career. It took three years for me to fully commit to becoming an abolitionist. After doing thorough research, I decided to start writing about slavery along with women's rights as a way to make a career for myself. I was able to publish books such as "Flowers for Children", "Fact and Fiction", and "The Freedmen's Book" among other which were all published within the years of 1829 to 1868. I was able to use my career as a way to fight for what I thought was right.

As many women did in that day, my life was not without struggle. Due to my beliefs and my gender, many sales of my books plummeted due to their contents and I had to give up my job in an editing company due to the struggles I was facing everyday. Through this, I still held strong to my beliefs and refused to relinquish them due what others said. 

During my lifetime, I was able to meet several Woman's Right's Activists like, Lucretia Mott, Lucy Stone, Mary S. Parker, and Harriet Jacobs. I was able to edit Jacob's work and mailed out copies and arranged different interview opportunities. I went to and was invited to several suffragist movements in our long fight for both the end of slavery and women's rights. 

This lifestyle continued until my death in October 20, 1880. At 70 years old, I died of heart disease in Wayland, Massachusetts. As my final calling card, I gave money to "The Home for Aged Colored Women", my family, friends, colleagues, and many other abolitionists. I lived a very fufilling life and hope the legacy I left will be continued on for years.

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