Guest Author - April Rogers-Krick

Sarah Grimke just 13 years old was thrilled when her new sister Angelina Emily Grimke was born on February 20, 1805. She saw the chance to be useful and needed and begged her parents to be Angelina’s Godmother. Their mother, Mary Smith Grimke, was worn out from the demands of such a large household and having given birth to fourteen children. Her parents agreed and from that day forward Sarah assumed a responsibility of Angelina that she would never give up.

Growing up under the watchful eye of Sarah, Angelina also became uncomfortable with slavery. While attending a seminary for daughters of wealthy landowners she fainted during class one day. Once recovered she told her sister that the site of a small slave boy at the school had made her faint. About the same age as Angelina he had come to an open window but could hardly walk to the front of the room. Staggering he finally reached it and when he turned Angelina saw that his small body was covered in whip marks. She could see that the wounds on his legs and back still bled. Sarah tried to comfort and console Angelina.

As a child Angelina was naturally inquisitive and outspoken. More so then her sister and later fellow abolitionist. This often offended her traditional family and friends. At thirteen when it was time for her conformation to the Episcopal Church. Angelina refused to recite the required pledge in her prayer book. Always the rebellious young woman she concluded that she could not agree with the pledge and so would not take part in the conformation ceremony.

By 1818 Judge Grimke, Sarah and Angelina’s father, became very ill. In search of a cure Sarah was sent alone with her father to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In June of 1919 Sarah and Judge Grimke set off for the Atlantic Coast in hopes that the sea air would help. It was to late and Judge Grimke died in Bordentown, New Jersey with Sarah b y his side. The time Sarah spent with her father during his illness allowed the two to become very close. Judge Grimke heavily leaned on Sarah and drew upon her strength. Sarah thought this to be a great blessing. Also on her own for the first time the trip served as a major turning point in her life. It opened her eyes to life in the North away from slavery and she was introduced to the Quaker religion.

After her fathers death Sarah remained in Philadelphia for a few more months. While waiting for a ship back to Charleston she met some members of the Quaker Society of Friends. She was introduced to the works of Quaker John Woolman and was instantly inspired by his message. Sarah was also attracted to the fact that Quakers allowed women to be leaders within the church. Female preachers were common and she thought that could be her calling. Not converting immediately she returned home to consider her options.

Once home Sarah found the conditions to be unbearable. After spending more then a year in the North she knew she could no longer live in the South among slavery. Within a month against her mother’s wishes and knowing that she would have to leave her family Sarah packed her belongings and moved to Philadelphia permanently and promptly joined the Quaker Society of Friends.