Wendell Phillips

Wendell Phillips (29 November 1811 - 2 February 1884), born in Boston, Massachusetts, was an American abolitionist and orator. After graduating from Harvard in 1831, he went on to attend its law school from which he graduated in 1833. In 1834, Phillips was admited to the state bar, and in the same year, he opened a law practice in Boston. After being converted to the abolitionist cause by William Lloyd Garrison in 1836, he stopped practicing law in order to fully dedicate himself to the movement. He joined the American Anti-Slavery Society and frequently made speeches at its meetings. After the 15th Amendment was passed, Phillips concentrated on issues such as women's rights, universal suffrage, and temperance.