• DOI:10.2979/FSR.2005.21.2.31
• Corpus ID: 143451076

A Greater Awakening: Women's Intellect as a Factor in Early Abolitionist Movements, 1824-1834

@article{Rycenga2005AGA,
  title={A Greater Awakening: Women's Intellect as a Factor in Early Abolitionist Movements, 1824-1834},
  author={Jennifer Rycenga},
  journal={Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion},
  year={2005},
  volume={21},
  pages={31 - 59}
}

• Jennifer Rycenga
• Published 25 October 2005
• History
• Journal of Feminist Studies in Religion

cut, starting in late 1831. In the fall of 1832, Sarah Harris, a young black resident of the village, asked to attend the school. For a few tense months, the school existed in this integrated state, with the parents and officials of Canterbury becoming increasingly agitated over what they perceived as an illadvised social experiment. When they started to withdraw their daughters, Crandall decided to change the nature of her school and instruct black women only. Despite incensed attempts by town leaders to prevent it, Crandall’s black students started arriving in April 1833. They came from all over the eastern seaboard, mainly from large cities. Up to twenty-one black women and girls participated in Crandall’s school until it was closed, because of recurring vigilante violence, in September 1834. There had also been legal efforts to suppress Crandall’s school; three trials produced indecisive results, because of the constitutional issues raised. The bravery of the scholars and their teacher during the sixteen months they had together is quite remarkable. At least five of the students are A GREATER AWAKENING