Born: 20 December 1808, Canada
Died: 20 April 1898
Country most active: United States
Also known as: NA
The following bio was written by Emma Rosen, author of On This Day She Made History: 366 Days With Women Who Shaped the World and This Day In Human Ingenuity & Discovery: 366 Days of Scientific Milestones with Women in the Spotlight, and has been republished with permission.
Laura Smith Haviland was a pivotal figure in the American abolitionist movement. Born into a Quaker family, she was deeply influenced by equality and social justice principles. In 1837, she co-founded the Raisin Institute in Michigan, a groundbreaking school offering education to Black and white students, defying prevalent racial norms.
A key operative in the Underground Railroad, Haviland aided numerous enslaved people in their escape to freedom. Her Michigan home served as a crucial sanctuary on this network. Despite facing frequent threats, she remained steadfast in her activism, collaborating closely with other abolitionists like Sojourner Truth and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Haviland also fought for women’s suffrage, intertwining her quest for racial and gender equality in her lifelong dedication to human rights.