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James Forten was born on September 2nd, 1766, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His parents were Thomas Forten and Margaret Forten. He was born a free black man in America.
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At the small age of 14, James Forten's father died in 1773. After his father's death, he took over the job that Thomas had before his end. Forten had worked on the Royal Luis, one of the privateer ships during the American Revolutionary War. The British had taken James and put him in prison.
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In 1782, Forten had been released from prison and returned to Philadelphia, continuing his goal of supporting his family.
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In 1786, he started working at a sail lot. His superior was Robert Bridges, a white sailmaker. This situation made James Forten a larger deal as he gained more attention with his excessive amount of skill and work ethic.
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In 1798, after years of working under someone in the sail lot business, he had bought and owned the business from his higher up, Bridges. This made him one of the most successful and wealthy African Americans in Philadelphia.
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In the 1800s, he had invented a sail handling system device that impacted his business positively. This improved the success rate of his sail lot business.
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In 1813, he started to involve himself with abolitionist causes. This is what he can be most known for, as he worked very closely with many abolitionist activists like William Lloyd Garrison, Lucretia Mott, Robert Purvis, and more.
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In 1833, Forten established and co-founded the American Anti Slavery Society. This society became the most influential and popular abolitionist groups in the United States. His name being associated with this cause made many African Americans realize what political role they play when it comes to creating the movement for emancipation and equal rights.
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In the years 1830-1840, Forten had advocated for African American rights. He had organized many abolitionist events in Philadelphia. William Lloyd Garrison's anti-slavery newspaper was supported by Forten.
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James Forten had passed on March 4th, 1842, at the old age of 75. He had led a life full of a powerful legacy that his children Harriet Forten Purvis, Margaretta Forten, Sarah Forten, and James Forten Jr. had followed through.