Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Thomas Wentworth Higginson - More than a Mentor

 

Post by Doris McCraw

aka Angela Raines

Photo (C) Doris McCraw


Have you heard of Colonel Thomas Wentworth Higginson? How about Emily Dickenson? Maybe Helen (Hunt) Jackson? 

Col. Higginson mentored and edited both. He also led one of the all-Black regiments in the Civil War. In all honesty, that is just the tip of the iceberg.

Born December 22, 1823, in Cambridge, MA., and passed on May 9,1911, in Cambridge, MA. He entered Harvard at 13 and graduated at 18. He later returned to Harvard Divinity School, where he received another degree and was ordained as a Unitarian minister at 24.

He was also an abolishist, a supporter of women's suffrage, an author, and a poet. He served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives for two terms.     

Higginson during the Civil War
from Wikipedia

For those who are interested, Higginson wrote the following:

Army Life in a Black Regiment 

Common Sense About Women 

Women and Men

For more about Higginson, there is a recent biography, "A Man on Fire: The Worlds of Thomas Wentworth Higginson", by Douglas R. Egerton. You can read an overview on the Wikipedia page: Higginson - Wikipedia

Until Next Time:

Doris McCraw

Angela Raines - Amazon

Doris A. McCraw - Amazon

6 comments:

Julie Lence said...

The name sound familiar... Thank you for introducing him to us, Doris!

Renaissance Women said...

I'd known of him due to my research on Helen, but as I dug deeper the man intrigued me. So, of course, I've been on the journey to learn more. Doris

GiniRifkin said...

Some very enticing information, nice you sighted reading material.

Reggi Allder said...

I'd never heard of him. Thanks.

Renaissance Women said...

He was such a complex man I felt that it best to just hit some highlights and give people options to follow up if they chose. I'm still digging into his story. I'd love to hear your thoughts if you dig deeper. Doris

Renaissance Women said...

For someone his obituary writer said would be remembered, he hasn't been,except in some research circles. I hope you get the chance to dig deeper. Doris