Lucretia Mott (1793-1880) was a prominent American social reformer of the nineteenth century who played an instrumental role in the anti-[[slavery]] movement and the early women's rights movement in the United States. Born Lucretia Coffin on January 3, 1793, in Nantucket, Massachusetts, Mott was raised in a Quaker family that believed in the equality of all people. This upbringing profoundly influenced her views on [[social justice]] and equality. Mott received an education at Nine Partners Boarding School in New York, where she would later become a teacher. It was at this school that she met her future husband, James Mott. They married in 1811 and had six children, five of whom survived to adulthood. ## Anti-slavery work The Motts were active [[abolitionist]]s. Lucretia Mott's involvement in the abolitionist movement was sparked by the American Anti-Slavery Society in the early 1830s. She was a gifted speaker and frequently gave speeches on the subject of abolition, despite the social norms that discouraged women from such public speaking roles. Mott and her husband were also involved in the Underground Railroad, helping enslaved people escape to freedom. In addition to her abolitionist work, Mott was a passionate advocate for women's rights. She was among the organizers of the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention, the first women's rights convention in the United States, and she signed the convention's Declaration of Sentiments, a document calling for equal rights for women. ## Women's education advocate Mott was also instrumental in founding Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania in 1864. The college was established by Quakers but was one of the first coeducational colleges in the United States, reflecting Mott's commitment to gender equality in education. Throughout her life, Mott was known for her commitment to nonviolent resistance and her belief in the equality of all people. She continued to speak out on issues of [[social justice]] until her death on November 11, 1880. Mott's legacy continues to inspire social reformers. She was posthumously inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame, and her life and work have been commemorated in numerous ways, including a statue in the U.S. Capitol's National Statuary Hall.