Helen Hunt Jackson
Born October 14, 1830
Amherst, Massachusetts
Died August 12, 1885
San Francisco, California
Writer and activist for Native American rights
"Oh, write of me, not 'Died in bitter pains,' But 'Emigrated to another star!'"
Most widely remembered as an activist for Native American rights, Helen Hunt Jackson also wrote poetry, essays, novels, and children's stories. She used her writing talent to publicize the mistreatment of Native Americans, particularly the Mission Indians of Southern California. This dedication to Indian reform earned her a place in American history.
A Life of Tragedy
Helen Hunt Jackson was born Helen Maria Fiske in Amherst, Massachusetts, on October 14, 1830. Her parents were Nathan Welby Fiske, a professor and minister, and Deborah Vinal, a writer. The Fiske household was religious and scholarly, and undoubtedly, Helen's later career was influenced by her parents' intellectual interests. One of four siblings, Helen's two brothers died in infancy, leaving only her sister, Anne. While still a young girl, Helen's mother died of tuberculosis, an infectious and fatal lung disease common in the nineteenth century. Her father's death followed three years later. Before his death, however, Nathan Fiske saw to it that Helen received a good education.
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