Maria Stewart was the first American woman to publicly lecture on abolition and women's rights, using her voice to challenge racism and sexism in the early 19th century.
Maria Stewart (1803–1879) was born free in New York, possibly to enslaved parents. She became a teacher, writer, and public speaker. In the 1830s, she delivered lectures in Boston and New York on abolition and women's rights, becoming the first American woman to do so publicly. She founded the 'Maria W. Stewart School' for Black children and wrote extensively for abolitionist newspapers. Her work combined racial and gender justice, challenging the double oppression faced by Black women. She was a member of the New England Anti-Slavery Society and a vocal critic of racial discrimination.
