Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 when the last enslaved people in Texas learned they were free, more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. It is a powerful reminder of the progress made and the need to remain aware of issues of equality and equity in our community.
Edward Everett Hale, founder of Lend A Hand Society, believed deeply in the importance of freedom for all. As a Unitarian minister in Boston, chaplain of the United States Senate, a philosopher, and a prolific writer, Hale was a dedicated advocate for ending slavery and expanding education in the U.S. for all. As Jeffrey Mifflin stated in his article, Edward Everett Hale, “He supported Irish famine relief by finding opportunities for refugees; co-founded the New England Emigrant Aid Society to encourage antislavery supporters to settle in Kansas; and advocated for fairness to Native Americans and educational opportunities for freed slaves.”
Hale encouraged support for national unity and justice for all, and played a role in shaping the future of Kansas in the years leading up to the Civil War. In 1854, he wrote Kanzas and Nebraska, one of the first books urging settlers to support Kansas as a free state. Hale’s work helped bring national attention to the moral importance of the cause, as well as the belief that all people deserve freedom and respect.
Our work at Lend A Hand is inspired by Edward Everett Hale’s message that real change happens when people are willing to take action and stand up for what they believe. LAH continues the important history of commitment to helping all people in our Greater Boston community.