Commemorating History: the Life, Legacy & Influence of Charlotte Forten
by Luke Latshaw, '21
“I am an abolitionist!”
The lyrics broke the silence, grabbing the attention of those who were present for the event. The words, sung with passion and conviction, were the first to greet the ears of those attending the 2021 Charlotte Forten Recognition and Celebration, and were the first to remind us of the significance of the day.
The webinar, held on March 2nd at the intersection of Black History Month and Women’s History Month, was the fourth annual celebration at Salem State University for Charlotte Forten. Charlotte was the first African American woman to have graduated from the school, and each year, we take time to look back on her accomplishments and her life as a writer, poet, educator, women’s rights advocate, and abolitionist. Along with this, the event was also used as a way to talk about the larger topic of racism. Not only was it discussed in terms of the past, but also the effects it still has on the world today, and more importantly, how students and citizens alike can follow in Charlotte’s footsteps and work against it.
After the “Song of the Abolitionist” was performed, the stage was given to Sean Bennet, vice president of Diversity and Inclusion at SSU, who greeted everyone, and gave those in attendance some background on the event. The webinar would consist of both performances and guest speakers, all of which would pay homage to Charlotte’s legacy. And of course, he talked about Charlotte herself—starting with the simple, otherwise normal, incredibly important words: “Charlotte Forten graduated in 1856.”
Now, while this information is crucial—the kind of information a historian rifling through yearbooks some forty-or-so years ago would relish the opportunity to find—Charlotte’s story started far before her graduating from (what was then) Salem Normal School. Charlotte was born in Philadelphia, 1837, to Robert Forten and Mary Woods. Her mother died when she was just three years of age, but her father Robert was there to raise Charlotte like his parents had raised him. Charlotte’s grandfather, James Forten, had served as an American Privateer during the Revolution, and later worked as a sailmaker—leading him to become one of the wealthiest African American men in the new Republic. Because of this, the Forten family was able to financially support the cause of Abolitionists—funding slaves to buy their freedom, and backing William Lloyd Garrison’s newspaper “The Liberator.” Charlotte followed the Abolitionist legacy of her family, and brought those beliefs with her to Salem in 1853 when her father sent her to live with the Remond family and to be educated in a non-segregated school.
After Sean was finished giving background on Charlotte and the Celebration, he gave the floor to President Keenan. The president thanked everyone for attending, and spoke about the importance of persistence in addressing inequality. He expressed his feelings about how he wants Salem State to be an “Institution for Black and Brown students,” and how together, members of SSU can work on making the University more inclusive.
Toiell Washington, 2020’s recipient of Salem State’s MLK Jr. Leadership Award, was the next to speak. The award, given annually to a member of Salem State University, is to recognize the individual’s contributions to social justice and equality, and Toiell continued to embody the award through speaking at the event. She spoke about her own experience as a woman of color, and specifically cited the term “Black Sheep.” She touched upon the connotations and stigmas associated with this term and with people of color, and her words worked to bridge the present day with the past.
Issues regarding race that are prevalent today were prevalent in the past, guest speaker, Joanne Pope Melish, PhD said, and to really recognize Charlotte as a person, we’d have to take a look at the world she lived in. Although it was understood that having come from a wealthy family and being able to receive an education in an integrated school in the “free north” may have made Charlotte luckier than others who faced similar issues, this didn’t mean Charlotte’s life was free of burden. While it was true that by the time Charlotte made it to Salem much of the physical violence directed towards people of color had died down, that hostility very much remained, and emerged in socially accepted ways, such as using blackface in Vaudeville to make fun of black people. In Joanne’s words, “Salem in the 19th century was not immune to issues.”
Even when things were getting better for a growing middle class of African Americans after Emancipation,this only led to more hostility. These individuals were not welcome in white neighborhoods, and any amount of progress for African Americans, seemingly in any avenue of life, was met with backlash. Charlotte grew up in a world full of change and discrimination, and although she had amazing opportunities as a woman of color, Salem and more importantly her life, wasn’t free from the backlash that came with African Americans gaining freedom.
The north wasn’t some perfect place for African Americans, and the progress made towards equality is often overestimated. “This amnesia about history is tightly held and peeling it away is an important thing we need to do,” she said. She made clear to us that individuals today don’t even know how many African Americans were still slaves at certain points in time. Those enslaved, who could be taxed as property, were often underrepresented in official documents to save money. Because of this, the number of African Americans that remained enslaved is estimated to be much higher than what documentation tells us it was, and taking that into consideration means taking a closer, more authentic look at the state of racism and slavery in the North, and the world Charlotte grew up in. “I was surprised initially, finding things that weren’t part of the official history...” Joanne said, expanding upon her research and how she felt about it. “And now I’m not surprised.”
Sean Bennet followed up by opening the floor to questions, allowing Toiell to ask the first one. She asked Joanne how she thought Charlotte was able to stay so resistant to racism and remain optimistic “I think Charlotte believed in the future,” Joanne said. “I think the alternative is destructive to the soul.” She said she believes that all African Americans possess this attribute—this ability to constantly strive for a better future despite the state of the world.
It was is easy to see how Charlotte possessed this ability. She was always trying to help others in the name of equality, despite the discrimination she faced. She went as far as traveling South in 1862—far from home and far from comfort—to Port Royal in South Carolina during the Civil War. She went there to teach “contraband of war” or rather, to educate those who were formerly enslaved. Even in those disastrous times, she was there, believing in the future and educating the future.
Another question stood out: “What are the most effective ways white people can honor the legacy of Charlotte Forten today?” Joanne’s answer: “Do away with uniqueness.” She expressed how important it is for people in power to campaign for the increase of African American literature in education. She said that through more exposure, students and the everyday individual would be able to view Black artists not as something inherently special, but something that can be prominent and easily accessible. This idea of “doing away with uniqueness” was synonymous with acceptance in Joanne’s eyes. Not being unique was simply the side-effect of African American works being wide-spread and integrated.
As the last performance was given—a song sung by Samantha Searles dressed as Charlotte herself—it was impossible not to remember everything that came before it. As the song was reaching its conclusion, as the event culminated towards its finale, Joanne’s answer to the final question “What role can students at SSU play?” echoed in my head. “It’s never too late to be an abolitionist,” she said.
As for Charlotte, one may say her time ended long ago, in Washington D.C. on July 23, 1914. But while she may be gone, her ideals live on, and will continue to inspire those who listen. This is why age cannot wither her. This is what allows us the privilege to look back and learn from more and more incredible people such as Charlotte Forten—people that teach us not to accept things the way they are. People that teach us to rise against discrimination and inequality. People that teach us to go out into the world with a fire in our hearts, with our heads held high, and exclaim: “I am an abolitionist!”