Innovators: Sarah Parker Remond

Episode Summary

Sarah Parker Remond was born in 1826 to a prominent black family in Salem, Massachusetts. Her parents were activists and successful business owners. In 1835, Sarah and her sister were accepted to Salem High School but then removed due to protests from white parents. The family moved to Rhode Island seeking better schooling opportunities but faced discrimination again. Sarah became very involved in the abolitionist movement, joining anti-slavery societies. At age 16, she gave her first anti-slavery lecture. She rose to prominence after refusing to sit in segregated theater seating in Boston in 1853, suing and winning. In 1856, Remond toured New York giving lectures alongside Susan B. Anthony. She was invited to speak in Britain in 1858, lecturing for three years and fundraising. She spoke passionately about the exploitation of black women under slavery. During the Civil War, she called on the British to support the Union. Afterwards, she gathered aid for newly freed slaves in America. Remond studied medicine in London, becoming a nurse. She moved to Italy to continue her studies, never returning to the U.S. She died in Rome in 1894 at age 79.

Episode Show Notes

Sarah Parker Remond (1826-1894) was a prominent orator who spoke with the likes of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass. Through her speeches, she denounced segregation and slavery–and encouraged abolitionist support at home and abroad.

Episode Transcript

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Instead, the workplace will improve as employees show up authentically on their own terms. Post your truth. Show the world the authentic professional you and join the conversations redefining professional on LinkedIn. LinkedIn, welcome professionals. Hey listeners, it's Jenny with another podcast I think you'll love, Ted Talks Daily. Every weekday, you'll hear new ideas on every topic imaginable, from artificial intelligence to how the war in Ukraine can change everything. One episode in particular that I thought you'd really like is the recent talk from creator, comedian, and actress, Lilly Singh. Lilly gets into how women and girls are conditioned to believe success is a seat at the table when really we should build a better table. She's hilarious and not only shares intimate experiences from her career, but also offers ways we can build a more inclusive society where girls are encouraged and empowered to do great things. Stick around to hear part of her talk or head over to Ted Talks Daily from the Ted Audio Collective, wherever you listen. SPEAKER_04: Hello from Wonder Media Network. I'm Michelle Monahan and this is Womanica. This month, we're talking about innovators. These are women who helped shape the world we live in today from inventors to thinkers. Their decisions to explore new paths led us to where we are now. Today, we'll meet a prominent orator who spoke with the likes of Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass. Through her speeches, she denounced segregation in slavery and encouraged abolitionist support at home and abroad. Let's talk about Sarah Parker Remond. Sarah Remond was born in 1826 to a black affluent family that settled in Salem, Massachusetts after her father fought in the Revolutionary War. Sarah's parents were activists and successful business owners who built a catering and hairdressing business. In 1835, Sarah and her sister were accepted into Salem High School. But within days, due to protests from parents, the school voted to remove all black children and start a separate school for them. In response, the Remond family moved to Rhode Island where they hoped to find a community in school that wasn't racist. Instead, when the children applied to public schools in Rhode Island, they were turned away. Eventually, Sarah and her siblings attended a private school founded by black residents of the town. In 1841, the family returned to Salem where Sarah's father successfully campaigned to desegregate the Salem school system. Sarah continued her education by seeking out knowledge for herself. She attended concerts and lectures and consumed books, newspapers and pamphlets borrowed from friends. She became very involved in the abolitionist movement, joining numerous anti-slavery societies. Her parents' home had become a meeting place for black and white abolitionists alike and even housed at least one runaway enslaved person. When Sarah was just 16, she gave her first anti-slavery lecture in Groton, Massachusetts. She quickly rose to prominence among abolitionists when she refused to sit in a segregated theater in 1853. She had purchased tickets to see an opera in Boston with some friends. When they arrived, Sarah was directed to segregated seating. She refused to sit and was directed to leave the theater and then was pushed down the stairs. Sarah sued and was awarded $500 and even received an admission that the theater had been in the wrong. In addition, the theater was ordered to integrate seating. In 1856, Sarah and her brother were hired alongside other abolitionists like Susan B. Anthony to tour New York State giving anti-slavery lectures. After a successful tour, she was asked to visit several other states, including Ohio, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. Although she didn't have as much experience as some of the other speakers, Sarah quickly became a sought-after orator and fundraiser. In 1858, she was invited to take her speeches to Britain. She lectured to crowds throughout the British Isles for the next three years, raising money for abolitionist causes and occasionally standing beside Frederick Douglass. Sarah used her platform to speak about the exploitation of black women under slavery, a topic that was considered very taboo at the time. She was able to elicit an emotional response from her audiences by speaking passionately about family, womanhood, and marriage. When the American Civil War began in 1861, Sarah called on the British to stand alongside the Union. In a speech she gave in London, she asked, let no diplomacy of statesmen, no intimidation of slaveholders, no scarcity of cotton, no fear of slave insurrections prevent the people of Great Britain from maintaining their position as the friend of the oppressed Negro. After the Civil War ended, Sarah gathered funds and clothing abroad for newly freed black people in the United States. She was an active member of the London Emancipation Society and the Freedmen's Aid Association in London. In 1856, she made a sharp turn in her career and studied medicine at London University College, graduating as a nurse. She then moved to Florence, Italy, where she continued her studies. Sarah never returned to the US. She died in Rome on December 13th, 1894 at the age of 79. For more information, find us on Facebook and Instagram at Womanica Podcast. Special thanks to Jenny and Liz Kaplan for inviting me to guest host Womanica this week. As always, we'll be taking a break for the weekend. You'll hear from a new host on Monday. SPEAKER_09: You see, my goal was always a seat at the table. It's what women are conditioned to believe success is. And when the chair doesn't fit, when it doesn't reach the table, when it's wobbly, when it's full of splinters, we don't have the luxury of fixing it or finding another one, but we try anyways. 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