Sarah Grimké (1792-1873) and Angelina Grimké Weld (1805–1879), known as the Grimké sisters, were 19th-century American Quakers, educators and writers who supported abolitionism and women's rights.
The Grimké sisters were born in Charleston, South Carolina, USA. Sarah Moore Grimke was born on November 26, 1792 and Angelina Emily Grimke was born on November 26, 1805. They traveled in the North, talking about their experiences with slavery on their father's plantation. They were often mocked and laughed at. They both saw that women needed more freedom to help change society. They began helping the women's rights movement.
In 1838, the sisters became the first women to speak at a meeting of the Massachusetts state legislature. They spoke about slavery and abolitionism. People were very shocked. They helped attract thousands of women in New England to the movement. Many came to hear Sarah and Angelina speak at public lectures.
In 1838, Sarah wrote a paper called "Letters on the Equality of the Sexes and the Condition of Women." It answered many questions which were asked in a letter by a group of ministers who did not like the sisters because they had stepped out of their "woman's proper sphere".
When Sarah was 80, she tried to vote. They lived to see the end to slavery, and the beginning of women's rights.