The Philadelphia Female Antislavery Society invited James Forten, Sr., to speak on April 14, 1836. Some of what he said in his "The Tears of Those Who Will Be Left Behind" speech is, "Again, the South most earnestly and respectfully solicits the North to let the question [of] Slavery alone, and leave it to their bountiful honesty and humanity to settle. Why, honesty, I fear has fled from the South, long ago; sincerity has fallen asleep there, pity has hidden herself; justice cannot find the way; helper is not at home; charity lies dangerously ill; benevolence is under arrest; faith is nearly extinguished; truth has long since been buried, and conscience is nailed on the wall. Now, do you think it would be better to leave it to the bountiful honesty and humanity of the South to settle? No, no. Only yield to them in this one particular and they will find you vulnerable in every other."
In addition to speaking against African-American slavery and for African-American freedom (being an abolitionist,) James married an abolitionist. James Forten, Sr. (1766-1842) and his wife, Charlotte Vandine Forten (1785-1884,) raised their nine children in prosperity materially, spiritually and intellectually. They were Christians. James was one of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania's wealthiest merchants. He owned a business producing sails for ships. His business employed his own sons and both black and white people. Charlotte was a businesswoman who invested in real estate. James and Charlotte were leading members in the free-black community in Philadelphia, which was America's largest free-black community. Charlotte along with the Forten daughters were founding members of the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society. James wrote letters and articles advocating justice and equality for black Americans and women published in various newspapers. James was also actively against forcing black people to leave America, which had become their country, to live in Africa or Haiti. James' and Charlotte's home was a frequent stop on the Underground Railroad which helped fugitive slaves to hide from their former slave masters on the path to freedom.
The Forten children are: Margaretta Forten (suffragist), Harriet Forten Purvis (abolitionist and suffragist), Robert Bridges Forten (abolitionist), Sarah Louisa Forten Purvis (abolitionist), James Forten, Jr., (abolitionist), William Deas Forten (abolitionist), Charlotte Forten, Mary Theresa Forten and Thomas Willing Francis Forten. James and Charlotte taught their children to select spouses who shared their values. The Forten children absorbed the lessons and selected spouses who were also speakers and writers for abolition and other justice issues like women's right to vote.
The Forten Christian activism extended to their grandchildren. A Swahili Proverb says, "The way you bring up a child is the way it grows up." With God the Holy Ghost in control of our lives, nothing good is impossible. Galatians 5:16 New Living Translation Bible says, "So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves." One of the Forten's granddaughters, Charlotte Forten Grimke, was a teacher to newly freed slaves on the South Carolina Sea Islands. She said, "Let us labor to acquire knowledge, to break down the barriers of prejudice and oppression...believing that if not for us, for another generation there is a brighter day in store...." One of the Fortens' grandsons, Charles Burleigh Purvis, became the first black American to oversee a hospital with his appointment at the Freedman's Hospital in Washington, D.C.
Who are some more Forten family members who have made notable contributions to society?
In the Forten family instead of men and women waging war against each other, they waged war against evil. Author and motivational speaker, Zig Ziglar, says, "Many marriages would be better if the husband and the wife clearly understood that they are on the same side."
Former US. President Abraham Lincoln, who issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, encouraging border states to outlaw slavery, helped push through Congress the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which finally freed all the slaves nationwide in December 1865, led the United States through the American Civil War preserving the Union, and battled depression said, "America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Why don't we have a separate Federal holiday recognizing Lincoln?
Some are afraid of large families because they have bought fear-based propaganda. Yet 2 Timothy 2:7 Amplified Bible says,"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control." Yes, one can motivate someone with fear. However, love is a more effective and enduring motivator. Fear creates false realities and causes fatalities. Love liberates and lengthens global good.
James Forten, Sr. and Charlotte Vandine Forten had nine children. Civil Rights Activist Fannie Lou Hamer was the youngest of 20 children. A doctor forced a sterilization on Fannie Lou Hamer because she was black.
Abortions and sterilizations are forced on women in China because the Chinese government fears too many Chinese. Since 1979, Chinese couples have been limited to one child by law in order to control the country's population. In October 2011, Feng Jianmei, a 22-year-old woman from the small village of Yuping in Zeng Jia Township, Shaanxi province, became pregnant with her second child. On June 2, 2012, while Feng was seven months pregnant with her second child, she was forced to have an abortion. On June 11, Feng's family posted graphic pictures of her aborted child on the Internet. The images soon became a viral phenomenon, sparking controversy within China and drawing international attention to the issue of forced abortions.
Pray and participate in positive activities to end China's forced abortion and forced sterilization policies. Rescues from forced abortions and forced sterilizations are possible. Women's Rights of China edited and produced a short video reporting that family planning officials broke into the home of husband and wife Li Fu and Cao Ruyi because Ruyi didn't have Chinese governmental pregnancy approval; when Ruyi was taken to a hospital for a forced abortion, it couldn't be done because a hospital bed was unavailable; through the efforts of Women's Rights in China, ChinaAid Founder and President Bob Fu and U.S. Congressman Christopher Smith, Ruyi was rescued and so was baby Li Dahai; yet Fu and Ruyi still face a fine of $15,000.00 for Ruyi's pregnancy and are not able to register baby Li Dahai's birth with the Chinese government. The Canada Free Press reported on 3/18/2013 that the lack of registration means, "In China’s authoritarian system, this means his existence is not recognized by the government and he cannot get a government-issued identification card, which is required for all basic activities of a citizen, including attending school, opening a bank account and even getting medical care."
Activists inside and outside China are working to stop forced abortions and forced sterilization. Chen Guangcheng, who was blind from an early age and self-taught in law, is a leading activist born in China who is now living in the United States. Today he was scheduled to testify before a U.S. congressional subcommittee.
Juan 18:37 Biblia Bilingue Version Reina-Valera 1960 dice, "Le dijo entonces Pilato: Luego, eres tu rey? Respondio Jesus: Tu dices que yo soy rey. Yo para esto he nacido, y para esto he venido al mundo, para dar testimonio a la verdad. Todo aquel que es de la verdad, oye mi voz." John 18:37 Bilingual Bible New King James Version says, "Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."
May la verdad (the truth) be heard and victorious.
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