Notable people · Abolitionist · Writer
Theodore Dwight Weld
Born in Hampton, Connecticut, Weld enrolled at Lane Seminary in 1833 and led the February 1834 Lane debates on slavery; his American Slavery As It Is (1839) influenced Uncle Tom's Cabin.
At a glance
- Born
- 1803-11-23
- Died
- 1895-02-03
- Education
- Phillips Academy, Andover, MA, 1820-1822
- Oneida Institute, Whitesboro, NY, 1827-
- Lane Theological Seminary, Cincinnati, OH, 1833-1834, left in the Lane Rebels exodus
- Known as
- Abolitionist, Writer
- Organizations
- Lane Theological Seminary
Life story
Theodore Weld was born in Hampton, Connecticut, in 1803. He left Phillips Academy when his eyesight failed, then lectured on memory methods across the South, which let him see slavery firsthand.
He fell under the influence of Charles Finney, studied informally at Hamilton College, and attended Oneida Institute. In 1831 the Tappan brothers hired him as an agent, and he traveled thousands of miles speaking.
In 1833 he went to Cincinnati to help recruit for Lane Seminary and enrolled. In February 1834 he organized the 18-evening debates on slavery. After the trustees reacted, many students left; Weld then worked as an Ohio agent for the American Anti-Slavery Society.
He married Angelina Grimke in 1838. He co-wrote American Slavery as It Is (1839), and in 1841-43 helped John Quincy Adams with petitions in Washington. He died in 1895.
Timeline
- 1825: Informal student at Hamilton College (Clinton, NY) source
- 1827: Enrolls at Oneida Institute (Whitesboro, NY) source
- 1831: Hired as agent by the Tappans (Eastern U.S.) source
- 1833: Recruits faculty for, and enrolls at, Lane Seminary (Cincinnati, OH) source
- 1834-02: Organizes 18-evening debates on slavery (Cincinnati, OH) source
- 1834-summer: Students teach Cincinnati's free Black residents (Cincinnati, OH) source
- 1834: Becomes Ohio agent, American Anti-Slavery Society (Ohio) source
- 1838: Marries Angelina Grimke (New Jersey) source
- 1839: American Slavery as It Is published (New York, NY) source
- 1895-02-03: Dies (Hyde Park, MA) source
What Theodore is known for
- Lane debates 1834
- American Slavery As It Is (1839)
- The Bible Against Slavery (1837)
- American Slavery as It Is (1839)
Honors and things named for them
- National Abolition Hall of Fame (2009)
Family
- wife: Angelina Grimke Weld
- sister-in-law: Sarah Grimke
Ohio places
Where Theodore Dwight Weld was born, lived, worked and is remembered, with the ZIP code, town and county pages for each.
- School: Cincinnati, Hamilton County (Lane Theological Seminary, Walnut Hills) ZIP 45206 · Cincinnati · Hamilton County
Further reading
Sources
Confidence. Medium: the main facts were confirmed, but some details (often an address or ZIP code) were not.
- Wikipedia: Theodore Dwight Weld dates, Lane debates, 1839 book (Wikipedia, opened; pointer-level source)