Lydia Maria Child's prolific literary career spanned five decades, during which she produced numerous short stories, articles, novels and non-fiction books. At times her political activism damaged both her career and her personal reputation. However, despite unrelenting financial pressures, she remained a committed advocate in a range of causes, including the abolition of slavery and the promotion of native-Americans' and women's rights.
Lydia Francis was born on 11 February 1802 in Medford, Massachusetts. She was the youngest of the five surviving children of Convers Francis, a prosperous baker, and Susannah Rand Francis. Child was formally educated at local schools, concluding with a year at Miss Swan's Female Academy when she was aged twelve. In 1814 her mother died of tuberculosis. By
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Citation: Deshpande, Tara. "Lydia Maria Child". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 21 March 2007 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=857, accessed 23 November 2024.]
