Lydia Maria Child was born in 1802 in Massachusetts and became a prominent American abolitionist, novelist, and advocate for Native American and women's rights. She published her first novel in 1824 which helped bring her into literary circles in New England. Her most popular book was The American Frugal Housewife published in 1829. Child also started the first American children's magazine and wrote many educational stories for it. She became actively involved in the abolitionist movement in the 1830s after publishing An Appeal in Favor of that Class of Americans Called Africans which advocated for the end of slavery and racial integration. Throughout her life, Child wrote over 50 books on various social issues and helped publish works by former slaves and advocate for

1. Lydia Maria Child The Life and Work of

2. Early Life and Education Born on 11th February, 1802 in Medford, Massachusetts Born into America's new middle class, she was the youngest of 6 children Her father was a baker famous for his "Medford Crackers" Her mother died when Lydia was twelve She disliked the name "Lydia" and usually went by "Maria" instead Educated at home, at a local "dame school" and at a women's seminary

3. Early Life and Education Upon the death of her mother, she went to live with her sister in Maine where she studied to be a teacher. After a brief teaching career, she went to live with her brother, Harvard College graduate and Unitarian minister, and his wife at his parish. Inspired by him, she took up the challenge to write her first novel.

4. Early Novels Hobomok (1824) Attempted to realistically portray early American life and its radical positive portrayal of a Native American hero as a noble Indian in love with a white woman. This novel helped bring Lydia into the New England and Boston literary circles.

5. Early Novels The Rebels (1825) This novel achieved new success for Lydia. A speech in this novel, which she puts into the mouth of James Otis, was assumed to be an authentic historical oration and was included in many 19th century schoolbooks as a standard memorization piece.

6. More Literature . . . The American Frugal Housewife (1829) Child's most popular book, it went through 33 editions, and is still available today. It contained recipes, housekeeping tips and advice on women's everyday problems. The Mother's Book (1831) Published two years later, articulated her concern that mothers guide the education of their children, especially their daughters, and stressed the importance of sex education for children.

7. Children’s Literature Juvenile Miscellany (1826) In 1826 she started the first children's magazine, Juvenile Miscellany, a tiny bimonthly magazine for children she edited, writing many of the educational little stories herself. The publication enjoyed wide support for nearly ten years. This helped build onto her success and she also came to know other women in New England's intellectual community.

8. An Appeal in Favor of that Class of Americans Called Africans (1833) Said to be one of the most important books ever written about slavery. In this work, she described the history of slavery in America and the present condition of those enslaved, proposed the end of slavery, not through colonization of Africa and the return of the slaves to that continent, but by integration of ex-slaves into American society. She advocated education and racial intermarriage as means to that multiracial republic. Abolitionism Influenced by William Lloyd Garrison, a committed abolitionist , Lydia Child became involved in the campaign against slavery.

9. An Appeal in Favor of that Class of Americans Called Africans resulted in two main effects: It was instrumental in convincing many Americans of the need for abolition of slavery. It caused Child's popularity plunge and sales of her other books dropped dramatically. She was eventually forced to cease publication of Juvenile Miscellany in 1834 and was censured among Boston society. Undeterred, she continued publishing more anti-slavery works, and she also started a weekly newspaper, the Anti-Slavery Standard, with her husband David Lee Child. Abolitionism

10. 1939 – Child was elected to the executive committee of the American Anti-Slavery Society. Members of the society became extremely upset by this. "To put a woman on the committee with men is contrary to the usages of civilized society“, they believed. 1861 – Child controversially helped Harriet Jacobs publish Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl . At the time the book was condemned because of the way it dealt with the sexual exploitation of young female slaves. Jacobs was also highly critical of the role of the Church in maintaining slavery. Abolitionism

11. Child also became concerned about the rights of Native Americans. In the 1860s, Child wrote pamphlets on Indian rights. The most important was An Appeal for the Indians (1868) This writing called upon government officials and religious leaders to bring justice to American Indians Her presentation sparked interest in Indian issues, and led to the founding of the US Board of Indian Commissioners and the subsequent Peace Policy in the administration of Ulysses S. Grant. American Indian Right’s Work

12. Child published more than fifty books in her lifetime , plus short stories, poems, articles for periodicals and newspapers. So much of her writing was more suited to the tastes of her contemporaries than to today's readers "We are not sure that many woman of our country could outrank Mrs. Child. Few female writers, if any, have done more or better things for our literature." - North American Review, the leading literary periodical of the time Ironically, Lydia Maria Child is probably best remembered today for the Thanksgiving children's poem, "Over the River and Through the Woods to Grandfather's House We Go". Lydia Maria Child died on 7th July, 1880, in Wayland, Massachusetts. Literary giant in her time . . .