Stowe Center for Literary Activism

Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896), author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852), an antislavery novel of enormous impact in the United States, had lifelong associations with Hartford. She permanently moved to the city in 1864 and resided on Forest Street from 1873 until her death in 1896. In 1994, Harriet Beecher Stowe was inducted into the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame.

The Stowe Center for Literary Activism is a social justice museum, research library/archive, and program center in Hartford, CT. Our mission is to encourage social justice and literary activism by exploring the legacy of Harriet Beecher Stowe and all who advocate hope and freedom then and now. We offer experiences that connect the 19th century to the 21st, using historical objects and immersive spaces to prompt discourse. By facilitating difficult conversations, we explore the nuanced history and evolution of social justice, literary activism, and civic engagement. Our newest initiative centers the many Black freedom builders who created and fortified the strong abolitionist communities that inspired Stowe. We also share stories of the authors and activists who responded in a variety of ways to Stowe’s legacy and the legacy of a nation built on slavery. Our goal is to elevate inclusive histories of agency, resistance, and resilience. We also aim to draw awareness to systems of oppression—gender, race, economic—that perpetuate white supremacy and inspire social justice and literary activism today.