Before 1789 stood this impressive house. It was built by William Blake a planter with land in South Carolina and England. This is the Blake-Grimké House. Its location on the edge of Ansonborough ensured it survived the devastating 1838 fire. William Blake’s ancestors arrived in Charles Town as early as 1683. He was the grandson of Joseph Blake the proprietary governor from 1696 until his death in 1700. The Blake-Grimké House has witnessed much history.
The Blake-Grimké House has a fascinating connection to Arthur Middleton. The widow of this South Carolina Signer of the Declaration of Independence rented the house. This was likely due to a family connection. She was an Izard and William Blake’s wife was also an Izard.
After Blake’s death in 1803 Judge John Faucheraud Grimke purchased the Blake-Grimké House. He needed a large property for his many children. Two of those children Sarah and Angelina Grimke would become its most famous residents.
Sarah and Angelina Grimke are renowned as Charleston’s abolitionist sisters. They championed women’s rights and fought tirelessly against slavery. Raised in a family of jurists and wealthy planters they grew up surrounded by enslaved African Americans. Their home the Blake-Grimké House had slaves as did their father’s and brothers’ plantations. Unlike many in Charleston society the Grimke sisters saw slavery as abhorrent. They courageously and publicly voiced their opposition. After Judge Grimke’s death the sisters moved north to live in Quaker communities. There they wrote and published abolitionist literature.
Sue Monk Kidd’s 2014 novel The Invention of Wings brought their story to a wider audience. It captured the hearts and minds of many particularly women. In 2015 the College of Charleston Friends of the Library installed a marker at the Blake-Grimké House. It rightly honors the Grimke sisters. The marker details their crucial role in the abolitionist movement and their advocacy for women’s equal rights. It notes their work as the first female agents of the movement. It highlights their 1837 involvement in organizing the first national convention of white and black women. Sarah’s 1837 publication of an argument for women’s equal rights is also recognized. The marker tells us Angelina became the first American woman to address a legislative body in 1838. It emphasizes that neither sister ever returned to Charleston. This plaque at the Blake-Grimké House stands as a testament to their unwavering dedication and profound impact on American history. This remarkable house continues to resonate with the legacy of the Grimke sisters their courageous fight for equality. The Blake-Grimké House stands as a powerful symbol of their enduring contribution.