Prudence Crandall
Prudence Crandall was slender, with eyes the color of a pristine summer sky and hair that caught the light like wheat in the sun. In demeanor, she was measured, gentle, speaking in a quiet voice. It could be easy to miss the resolve beneath her words. But those who knew Prudence understood well the courage and vigor with which she lived life and how she challenged society's ways.
Born on September 3, 1803, in Hopkinton, Rhode Island, Prudence was the daughter of Pardon and Esther Carpenter Crandall, devout Quakers who instilled a deep sense of equality and moral duty in their daughter. Quaker beliefs emphasized the inherent worth of every human being and, in the 19th century, advocated for abolition and social reform. This upbringing and education at the New England Friends' Boarding School laid the foundation for her strong convictions.
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