"Abolitionist, women's rights activist, and social reformer, Angelina Grimke (1805-79) was among the first women in American history to seize the public stage in pursuit of radical social reform. Among the most remarkable features of Angelina Grimke's rhetorical career was her ability to stage public contests for the soul of America - bringing opposing ideas together to give them voice, depth, and range to create new and more compelling visions of social change.". "Angelina Grimke: Rhetoric, Identity, and the Radical Imagination is the first full-length study to explore the rhetorical legacy of this most unusual advocate for human rights. Stephen Browne examines her epistolary and oratorical art and argues that rhetoric gave Grimke a means to fashion not only her message but her very identity as a moral force."--BOOK JACKET.