Thaddeus Stevens and His Black Wife Lydia Smith: A Story of Love, Politics, and the Fight for Equality

The story of Thaddeus Stevens and his black wife Lydia Smith is a powerful and inspiring one. Stevens was a leading abolitionist and Republican congressman who fought tirelessly for the rights of African Americans. Lydia Smith was a free black woman who worked as a teacher and activist. Their marriage was a bold and radical act that challenged the racial norms of the time.

THE FILM LINCOLN: THADDEUS STEVENS AND HIS BLACK WIFE LYDIA SMITH

by Brian Graves

4.1 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1066 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	6 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

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Stevens was born in Vermont in 1792. He was a brilliant lawyer and politician, and he quickly rose to prominence in the Republican Party. He was a strong advocate for the abolition of slavery, and he played a key role in the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which abolished slavery in the United States.

Lydia Smith was born in Pennsylvania in 1813. She was a free black woman, and she worked as a teacher and activist. She was a strong advocate for the rights of African Americans, and she worked to improve the lives of black people in the United States.

Stevens and Smith met in the 1830s, and they quickly fell in love. They were married in 1836, in a ceremony that was performed by a black minister. Their marriage was a bold and radical act, and it challenged the racial norms of the time. They were a happy couple, and they had three children together.

Stevens continued to fight for the rights of African Americans throughout his life. He was a strong supporter of the Reconstruction Era, and he worked to ensure that black people had the same rights as white people. He died in 1868, at the age of 76.

Lydia Smith continued to work for the rights of African Americans after Stevens' death. She was a strong advocate for education, and she worked to improve the lives of black people in the United States. She died in 1882, at the age of 69.

The story of Thaddeus Stevens and his black wife Lydia Smith is a powerful and inspiring one. It is a story of love, politics, and the fight for equality. It is a story that should be told and retold, so that we can all learn from their example.

Additional Resources

• Thaddeus Stevens National Historic Site
• Lydia Smith Society
• Thaddeus Stevens and His Black Wife Lydia Smith by Bruce Collins

THE FILM LINCOLN: THADDEUS STEVENS AND HIS BLACK WIFE LYDIA SMITH

by Brian Graves

4.1 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1066 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	6 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE