John Greenleaf Whittier

Whittier was an influential American Quaker poet and ardent abolitionist. Early in his career he ran for Congress, but in 1833 published an antislavery pamphlet called Justice and Expediency and decided to devote his life to the abolitionist cause. His experience in politics made him a successful lobbyist and skilled public speaker. Whittier traveled widely in the North, speaking to the public and lobbying politicians despite frequent attacks by audience members. Throughout this time, he continued to write poetry, much of which addressed the problem of slavery. An early compilation of Whittier’s poems, Voices of Freedom, was published in 1846. Focusing on slavery and abolitionism, many of the poems are Whittier’s responses to current events and politics related to the abolitionist cause.