 | Angelina Grimké Abolitionist, women's rights activist, and social reformer, Angelina Grimké (1805-79) was among the first women in American history to seize the public stage in pursuit of radical social reform. "I will lift up my voice like a trumpet," she proclaimed, "and show this people their transgressions." And when she did lift her voice in public, on behalf of the public, she found that, in creating herself, she might transform the world. In the process, Grimké crossed the wires of race, gender, and power, and produced explosions that lit up the world of antebellum reform. Among the most remarkable features of Angelina Grimké's rhetorical career was her ability to stage public contests for the soul of America--bringing opposing ideas together to give them voice, depth, and range to create new and more compelling visions of social change. Stephen H. Browne is Professor of Speech Communication at Pennsylvania State University. He is recipient of the NCA's Karl Wallace Award and currently serves as editor of Philosophy & Rhetoric. |
