Charles Lenox Remond,
(February 1, 1810 – December 22, 1873)
Orator, activist and abolitionist
Charles Remond was a prominent African American Abolitionist and activist during the 19th century. He was born on February 1, 1810, in Salem, Massachusetts, into a free black family. Remond became a prominent figure in the Anti-Slavery-Movement and fought tirelessly for the abolition of slavery and the advancement of civil rights for African Americans. He lectured against slavery across the Northeast, and in 1840 traveled to the British Isles on a tour with William Lloyd Garrison. During the American Civil War, he recruited blacks for the United States Colored Troops, helping staff the first two units sent from Massachusetts. From a large family of African-American entrepreneurs, he was the brother of Sarah Parker Remond, also a lecturer against slavery.
As a young man, Remond was educated at the New York African Free School, where he honed his oratory skills and developed a passion for social justice. Hua family owned and operated a successful hairdressing business and catering service in which several members participated. His three sisters, Cecilia, Maritchie, and Caroline, owned a women’s hair salon and the largest wig factory in the state.
Remond eventually struck out on his own. After the Civil War ended, he moved to Boston, where he worked as a clerk in the United States Customs House. He also worked as a street lamp inspector. He later purchased a farm in South Reading (now Wakefield), Massachusetts.
He was known for his powerful and eloquent speeches, which he delivered throughout the United States and Great Britain. Remond was involved in various anti-slavery societies, including the American Anti-Slavery Society and the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society. He worked alongside other leading abolitionists of his time, such as William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass, and was actively involved in organizing conventions, protests, and rallies.
In 1840, Remond traveled to the United Kingdom to campaign against slavery and racism. His speaking engagements drew large crowds, and he played a crucial role in raising awareness about the atrocities of slavery and gaining international support for the abolitionist cause. Apart from his anti-slavery activism, Remond was also involved in advocating for women’s rights, temperance, and education. He believed in the power of education and encouraged African Americans to pursue learning and self-improvement.
After the abolition of slavery in the United States, Remond continued to be involved in civil rights activism and fought for the rights of African Americans to be treated as full and equal citizens.
Remond was married in September 1850 to Amy Matilda Cassey (née Williams),[9][10] the daughter of Rev. Peter Williams, Jr. She was the widow of wealthy Philadelphia barber Joseph Cassey, with whom she had eight children including Peter William Cassey and an adopted daughter, Annie E. Wood, the maternal aunt of Charlotte Forten Grimke.[9] After her marriage to Remond, she moved to Salem, where she lived until her death on August 15, 1856.
Two years later, Remond married again, to Elizabeth Magee, a native of Virginia, in Newton on July 5, 1858. The abolitionist preacher, Rev. Theodore Parker, officiated. Before her death in 1871, Elizabeth and Remond had four children: Amy Matilda (1859–72), Charles Lenox, Jr. (1860–82), Wendell Phillips (1863–66), and Albert Ernest Remond (1866–1903).
Remond died in Boston in December 22, 1873. He is buried in Harmony Grove Cemetery, in Salem.
He left behind a legacy of unwavering passion, strength, and dedication to the cause of racial equality and justice. Charles Lenox Remond a very paramount iconic figure in history here and overseas.