Forten, Charlotte

Charlotte Forten (1838-1914) was born in Philadelphia and arrived in Salem 1854. She lived with the prominent Remond Family and attended Salem's Normal School (now Salem State College), becoming the first African American to graduate, in 1856. She began her teaching career at the Epes Grammar School in Salem. In her spare time, Charlotte wrote poetry and kept a journal, now owned by Phillips Library at Peabody Essex Museum. In 1864, Charlotte returned to Philadelphia and spent the next twelve years writing and publishing poems and essays, but also returned to teaching. In 1878 she married Francis Grimke.

See Also

• Vertical File in Salem Collection - Black History

• Salem Women's Heritage Trail by Bonnie Hurd Smith, p. 44-45

• Charlotte Forten Salem Women's History Trail website

• I, Charlotte Forten, Black and Free Polly Longsworth

• Journal of Charlotte Forten

• Hidden History of Salem by S. Saville, p.67-70

• "Full Circle: abolitionist Charlotte Forten Grimke returns to Salem" Salem Evening News, Feb. 14,2002 p. B1 (reenactment by performer Valarie Boyer)