Frances Ellen Watkins Harper

Biography

Frances Ellen Watkins Harper taught abolition and women's rights through verse and voice, traveling across states to offer eloquent poetry and stirring speeches that transformed everyday struggles into moral imperatives. Her command of language and her courage in public life inspired audiences who heard both prophecy and consolation in her words.

Harper helped found associations that elevated education and relief work while nurturing young leaders, reminding all that organized effort and personal sacrifice went hand in hand. Eden Cemetery is the resting place of this fearless advocate who blended art with action and left an unwavering call for justice.