General Discussion

Nye Bevan

(25,406 posts)

34. Read this about Abigail Adams:

Fri Dec 30, 2011, 11:49 PM

Dec 2011

Along with her husband, Adams believed that slavery was evil and a threat to the American democratic experiment. A letter written by her on 31 March 1776, explained that she doubted most of the Virginians had such "passion for Liberty" as they claimed they did, since they "deprive[d] their fellow Creatures" of freedom.[2]

A notable incident regarding this happened in Philadelphia in 1791, where a free black youth came to her house asking to be taught how to write. Subsequently, she placed the boy in a local evening school, though not without objections from a neighbor. Adams responded that he was "a Freeman as much as any of the young Men and merely because his Face is Black, is he to be denied instruction? How is he to be qualified to procure a livelihood? … I have not thought it any disgrace to my self to take him into my parlor and teach him both to read and write."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abigail_Adams

She was ahead of her time.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

54 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Michelle Obama, Best First Lady Ever? [View all] a kennedy Dec 2011 OP

I like Michelle, but for best ever I vote for Eleanor Roosevelt. n/t totodeinhere Dec 2011 #1

Sorry mine will always be Eleanor Roosevelt William769 Dec 2011 #2

You can see anytime the Obamas are around military families they are happy to have them. As a southernyankeebelle Dec 2011 #3

Exactly. Wait Wut Dec 2011 #7

Your son is right. Is your son a democrat? Is he enlisted? I just want to see if my observation southernyankeebelle Dec 2011 #30

"Independent" Wait Wut Dec 2011 #43

My heart goes out to you. I know it isn't easy for our soldiers today. I thought your son was southernyankeebelle Dec 2011 #44

Thank you for the advice. Wait Wut Jan 2012 #50

Don't worry about your daughter-in-law. My mother came from another country she had southernyankeebelle Jan 2012 #52

Oh I forgot to wish you a Happy New Year. southernyankeebelle Jan 2012 #53

Ah. The pics put tears in my eyes. Wait Wut Dec 2011 #4

Absolutely spectacular Stratetalker Dec 2011 #5

I looked. Great photos. She IS so very awesome. I love her too. lamp_shade Dec 2011 #6

She is a magnificent first lady etherealtruth Dec 2011 #8

Really? Garden work as opposed to E. Roosevelt lifting up the poor? MichiganVote Dec 2011 #9

You may not agree, but why dismissively belittle what Michelle Obama has done? nobodyspecial Dec 2011 #33

I disagree that I "slammed" her. She wants to role model organic gardening. Good. Great. MichiganVote Dec 2011 #38

as an organic gardener, I admire Michelle Obama's 'garden work' magical thyme Jan 2012 #51

Well I tell you as a wife of a retired soldier Mrs Obama and Mrs Biden have brought issues of southernyankeebelle Dec 2011 #45

To my knowledge all women in the role of first lady MichiganVote Dec 2011 #49

Best First Lady.... ThatsMyBarack Dec 2011 #10

Michelle is certainly the most authentic first lady I can think of. applegrove Dec 2011 #11

K & R n/t Tx4obama Dec 2011 #12

She's definately up there with Eleanor Roosevelt, but it's a tough call. HopeHoops Dec 2011 #13

Eleanor Roosevelt, Dolly Madison, Abigail Adams. Tierra_y_Libertad Dec 2011 #14

Your batting a thousand. William769 Dec 2011 #16

Three excellent choices. Beacool Dec 2011 #42

She is performing the role and responsiblilies of First Lady enough Dec 2011 #15

Best first lady: Hillary! Skinner Dec 2011 #17

Eleanor Roosevelt Bluenorthwest Dec 2011 #18

Who sets that standard? Mrs Reagan when her little thing was trying to be Mrs JFK, and southernyankeebelle Dec 2011 #46

No point assessing this until Obama's no longer in office RZM Dec 2011 #19

She has already done alot of good. Healthy eating. Growning gardens, supporting military families. southernyankeebelle Dec 2011 #47

She is the best wonderful. I love her. Whisp Dec 2011 #20

Rosalynn Carter & Betty Ford BOHICA12 Dec 2011 #21

She's great. Really, really like Michelle. I've posted before that BlueIris Dec 2011 #22

Eleanor Roosevelt by far. emilyg Dec 2011 #23

Isn't she just? cherokeeprogressive Dec 2011 #24

Nope. That would be Eleanor Roosevelt. n/t MoonRiver Dec 2011 #25

Nice. Scurrilous Dec 2011 #26

Love her BUT "best ever" ... absolutely NO Raine Dec 2011 #27

Agreed there. Lyric Dec 2011 #36

One of the best. I wouldn't be surprised if she was the best mother to live in the WH. grantcart Dec 2011 #28

Rosalyn Carter DeathToTheOil Dec 2011 #29

Definitely Eleanor Roosevelt - but I do like Michelle Obama as well. nt TBF Dec 2011 #31

She's very good but Gman Dec 2011 #32

Read this about Abigail Adams: Nye Bevan Dec 2011 #34

maybe in the end. hard to top Eleanor. dionysus Dec 2011 #35

I'd say best first lady of the past decade. OneTenthofOnePercent Dec 2011 #37

My favorite has always been Eleanor Roosevelt. City Lights Dec 2011 #39

Eleanor Roosevelt dflprincess Dec 2011 #40

She's doing a fine job, but for me the best first ladies are Eleanor Roosevelt and Hillary Clinton. Beacool Dec 2011 #41

No, but only because of the fierce competition! kiva Dec 2011 #48

Eleanor Roosevelt Carolina Jan 2012 #54