Thomas Wentworth Higginson was an American Unitarian minister, author, abolitionist, and soldier, born on December 22, 1823, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was deeply involved in the American Abolitionist movement during the 1840s and 1850s, aligning himself with disunion and militant abolitionism, advocating for the end of slavery in the United States. Higginson's commitment to social justice extended to his role as a minister, where he emphasized progressive views on religion and social reform. In addition to his abolitionist work, he served as a colonel in the Union Army during the American Civil War, leading the first African American regiment in the war. His literary contributions include various works of fiction, essays, and letters, reflecting his intellectual and moral concerns of the time. He also wrote on women's rights and was a supporter of the women's suffrage movement, advocating for women's education and intellectual development. Higginson was married twice, first to Mary Elizabeth Channing, and later to Mary Potter Thacher. He passed away on May 9, 1911, in his hometown of Cambridge, Massachusetts.
