Thomas Wentworth Higginson
Thomas Wentworth Higginson
Author • Editor22 Dec 1823 – 9 May 1911- Books
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Thomas Wentworth Higginson (December 22, 1823 – May 9, 1911), who went by the name Wentworth, was an American Unitarian minister, author, abolitionist, politician, and soldier. He was active in abolitionism in the United States during the 1840s and 1850s, identifying himself with disunion and militant abolitionism. He was a member of the Secret Six who supported John Brown.
During the Civil War, he served as colonel of the 1st South Carolina Volunteers, the first federally authorized black regiment, from 1862 to 1864. Following the war, he wrote about his experiences with African-American soldiers and devoted much of the rest of his life to fighting for the rights of freed people, women, and other disfranchised peoples.
He is also remembered as a mentor to poet Emily Dickinson.
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Thomas Wentworth Higginson is widely recognized for his significant role as a colonel in the 1st South Carolina Volunteers, one of the first regiments of Black soldiers during the American Civil War. He is also known for his literary contributions, particularly his advocacy for Emily Dickinson's poetry and his own writings on abolitionism and women's rights.
Thomas Wentworth Higginson primarily published under his own name, though he was sometimes referred to as Wentworth. He did not use distinct pen names for his published works.
For readers interested in his historical experiences, "Army Life in a Black Regiment" offers a firsthand account of his time leading African American soldiers during the Civil War. For those interested in his literary connections, his essays and correspondence related to Emily Dickinson provide insight into his role as a literary mentor.