Laura M. Towne: Unitarian Abolitionist & Co-Founder of The Penn Center by Anne Pryor

Unitarian Laura M. Towne left Pennsylvania in 1861 to work for abolition in the South Carolina sea islands. Her efforts resulted in the Penn Center, the first school in the South founded for African Americans, now a National Historic Landmark. Working from Towne’s published letters and diary, this presentation will examine Towne’s experiences in St. Helena, SC from 1862 – 1884 and the challenges faced by locals, especially formerly enslaved people, during Civil War battles and Reconstruction.