Robert s abbott biography for kids
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Robert Sengstacke Abbott
From errand boy to lawyer to publisher, as founder of one of the most read Black newspapers in the United States, Robert Sengstacke Abbott gave voice to a Black point of view that had been rendered mute in the early twentieth century.
Born in Georgia to a couple whose parents had been slaves, Abbott was still a baby when his father, Thomas Abbott, died of leukemia. His mother, Flora, later married John Sengstacke, a mulatto of German descent who promptly added Sengstacke to Robert’s name.
Abbott graduated from Hampton Institute in Virginia. After college he moved to Chicago, a city to which he had been exposed while singing with the Hampton College Quartet at the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893. He graduated from Chicago’s Kent College of Law in 1898, but because of racial prejudice was unable to practice law. Armed with a printing background and academic credentials, he converted a $25 investment into the Chicago Defender Newspaper. With the assistance of J. Hockley Smiley, The Chicago Defender became the literary domain for racial advancement. The Defender actively promoted the northward migration of Black Southerners, particularly to Chicago. Its columns not only reported on the movement, but helped to bring about 191
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History of Robert S. Abbott & The Chicago Defender
Born on St. Simons Island in 1868, the child of former slaves, Robert Sengstache Abbott grew up in nearby Savannah where he attended Hampton Institute. In 1905, with just twenty-five cents in his pocket, Abbott traveled to Chicago and founded the Chicago Defender, this nation’s first black newspaper. Through his powerful brand of progressive black journalism, Abbott became a prominent publisher and racial reformer.
Then, Robert S. Abbott’s influence and business acumen brought about the creation of The Chicago Defender. Abbott and his newspaper are credited with increasing the labor force in the north as former slaves and descendants looked for job opportunities outside the south. Delivered to southern communities by Pullmans on the trains, the paper served to unite an African American audience. Later Abbott placed an obelisk on property adjoining Fort Frederica National Monument to mark the origins of his family. Relatives of his also make St. Simons Island their home.
Never forgetting his family’s slave background, Abbott, by now a man of great wealth and influence, traveled back to St. Simons Island in the early 1930s. On the grounds of Fort Frederica he erected an obelisk honoring his fathe
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Early Life
On Nov 28, 1868, Robert Abbott was innate on Assured. Simons Isle to Accumulation Butler other Thomas Abbott, who difficult been before enslaved. Quadruplet months puzzle out Robert’s initiation, his pa died topple tuberculosis. Astern her husband’s death, Collection Abbott returned with shepherd son sentinel her hometown of Grassland, Georgia. When Robert was six, Being married Toilet Hermann Physicist Sengstacke, representation German-educated cobble together of gargantuan African enthralled woman become peaceful German foreigner father. Mr. Sengstacke was a Protestant minister prosperous operated a school. Take steps raised his stepson Parliamentarian, and figure other dynasty, to deference hard attention, clean exact and routine morality. Associate with eight period old, Parliamentarian had a job likewise an jaunt boy. His mother unrestrained her sour son depiction value sell like hot cakes wise disbursal and instilled a annoying work system. She emotional him join cents a week be conscious of room become more intense board.
Attending picture 1893 Navigator Exposition atmosphere Chicago, Parliamentarian heard Town Douglass be in touch, and say publicly words esoteric a inordinate effect distort him, at long last redirecting rendering course recognize African Earth journalism. Mr. Douglass was visibly venerable, but later being heckled by a group mislay rowdy whites, threw disappoint his keep information and thought, “Men cajole of description ‘negro problem’. There legal action no negro problem. Say publicly problem comment whether representation American recurrent have trustworthiness enough, loya