Thomas Smith Grimké

Thomas Smith Grimké


Thomas Smith Grimké (September 22, 1786 - October 12, 1834) was an American attorney, author, orator and social activist. Thomas Grimké was the second of fourteen children borne to jurist John Faucheraud Grimké, and Mary ("Polly"), daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Moore) Smith, of Charleston, South Carolina. He graduated from Charleston College, and entered the study of law under John Julius Pringle, then Attorney General of South Carolina, in 1804. He suspended his legal studies to enter Yale College in the fall of 1805. After completing courses at Yale, Thomas expressed a desire to prepare for the ministry, but yielded to the wishes of his jurist father and was admitted to the bar in May 1809. Thomas practiced law in Charleston, South Carolina. In 1830, Thomas received an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from Yale.