James Forten, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

James Forten

American businessman

Date of Birth: 02-Sep-1766

Place of Birth: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Date of Death: 04-Mar-1842

Profession: entrepreneur

Nationality: United States

Zodiac Sign: Virgo

James Forten (September 2, 1766 – March 4, 1842) was an African -American abolitionist and wealthy businessman in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Born free in the city, he became a sailmaker after the American Revolutionary War.
Following an apprenticeship, he became the foreman and bought the sail loft when his boss retired.
Based on equipment he himself had developed, he established a highly profitable business.
It was located on the busy waterfront of the Delaware River, in an area now called Penn's Landing. Forten used his wealth and social standing to work for civil rights for African Americans in both the city and nationwide.
Beginning in 1817, he opposed the colonization movements, particularly that of the American Colonization Society.
He affirmed Americans' claim to a stake in the United States of America.
He persuaded William Lloyd Garrison to adopt an anti-colonization position and helped fund his newspaper The Liberator (1831–65), frequently publishing letters on public issues.
He became vice-president of the biracial American Anti-Slavery Society, founded in 1833, and worked for national abolition of slavery.
His large family was also devoted to these causes, and two daughters married the mixed-race Purvis brothers, who used their wealth as leaders for abolition.