A Call for Justice: My Fight Against Slavery

A Speech by Abby Kelley Foster

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Good morning, fellow students. My name is Abby Kelley Foster, and I stand before you today as someone who has dedicated her life to fighting one of the greatest evils our nation has ever known - slavery.

When I was born in 1811, slavery was legal in many parts of our country. African Americans were bought and sold like property. Families were torn apart. Children were separated from their parents. Human beings were treated worse than animals. This was not just wrong - it was a sin against God and humanity.

I was raised as a Quaker, and my faith taught me that all people are equal in the eyes of God. But it wasn't until I heard other abolitionists speak that I truly understood my calling. In 1838, I made my first public speech at an anti-slavery convention in Philadelphia. Many people were shocked to see a woman speaking to a crowd of men and women together. Some were so angry that they burned down the building after our meeting ended.

But their anger did not silence me. It made me stronger.

For over thirty years, I traveled across this country, giving speeches and raising money for the American Anti-Slavery Society. I spoke in towns where people threw stones at me. I was called terrible names. I was threatened and attacked. But I kept going because I knew that the lives of millions of enslaved people were more important than my comfort or safety.

Slavery was not just about taking away someone's freedom. It was about denying their humanity. Enslaved people could not learn to read or write. They could not choose who to marry. They could not keep their children. They had no voice, no rights, no hope for a better future. This was happening in the land of the free, and we called ourselves a Christian nation.

I believed then, as I believe now, that we cannot be truly free until everyone is free. We cannot call ourselves a just society when some people are treated as property. The fight against slavery was not just about helping African Americans - it was about saving the soul of our nation.

Many people asked me why I, as a woman, cared so much about this cause. They said I should stay home and be quiet. But I saw the connection between the oppression of enslaved people and the oppression of women. Both groups were told they were not smart enough, not strong enough, not important enough to have rights. Both were expected to obey without question.

This is why I also fought for women's rights. I helped organize the first National Woman's Rights Convention in  Massachusetts in 1850. I knew that justice for one group meant justice for all groups.

The work was not easy. There were many times when I felt discouraged. Progress was slow. People were cruel. But I never gave up because I knew that what we were doing was right. Every speech I gave, every dollar I raised, every person I convinced to join our cause brought us one step closer to ending slavery.

Today, slavery is illegal in our country. The Civil War was fought, and the Union won. The Thirteenth Amendment was passed. But the fight for true equality continues. Even now, there are people who face discrimination because of their race, their gender, or their background.

I want to leave you with this thought: each of you has the power to make a difference. You may think you are just one person, but I was just one person too. I was a woman in a time when women were not supposed to speak in public. I came from a simple family. I was not rich or famous. But I had something more powerful than money or status - I had the conviction that what I was doing was right.

Find your cause. Find something you believe in so strongly that you are willing to fight for it, even when others tell you to be quiet. Use your voice. Use your talents. Use your time. The world needs people who will stand up for justice, even when it is hard.

Remember, as I once said, "Go where least wanted, for there you are most needed." Do not wait for someone else to solve the problems you see. Do not wait for a more convenient time. The time for justice is always now.

Thank you.

About This Speech

This presentation covers the life and work of Abby Kelley Foster (1811-1887), one of America's most influential abolitionists and women's rights activists. Foster dedicated over 30 years of her life to fighting slavery through public speaking, fundraising, and organizing.