Annie besant writings

Annie Wood Besant was a social activist who advocated for women’s access to birth control as well as marriage reform, labor reform, and Indian Nationalism in the nineteenth century in England and India. In her early career, Besant was involved in various social and political advocacy organizations including the National Secular Society, the Malthusian League, and the Fabian Society. Besant gave many public lectures and authored various articles in support of secularism, workers’ rights and unionization, and women’s rights. In 1877, Besant and her colleague Charles Bradlaugh republished the pamphlet The Fruits of Philosophy, by Charles Knowlton, on reproduction and contraception. Besant and Bradlaugh were tried for violating the obscenity law that prohibited the publication of obscene material, including sex and contraception. Later in her life, she converted to theosophy and moved to India where she joined the Theosophical Society. In India, Besant campaigned for Indian self-rule and became the president of the Indian National Congress. Besant, through republication of The Frui

Annie Besant (1847–1933), second President of The Theosophical Society from 1907 to 1933, was described as a ‘Diamond Soul’, for she had many brilliant facets to her character.  She was an outstanding orator of her time, a champion of human freedom, educationist, philanthropist, and author with more than three hundred books and pamphlets to her credit. 

She also guided thousands of men and women all over the world in their spiritual quest.

Early Days

Annie Wood was born on 1 October 1847, and educated privately in England, Germany and France.  She was a devout Christian, and was married at the age of twenty to an English clergyman, Rev. Frank Besant, Vicar of Sibsey, Lincolnshire, by whom she had a son, Arthur Digby, and a daughter, Mabel. However, the awakening of her character made her challenge several of the Christian dogmas.  ‘It was not the challenge of unfaith’, as Jinarâjadâsa was to say later, ‘but rather of a highly spiritual nature that desired intensely not only to believe but also to understand.’  Unable to make logic out of Christian traditions, she left the Churc

Annie Besant

English writer and activist (1847–1933)

Annie Besant

Annie Besant as a young woman

Born

Annie Wood


(1847-10-01)1 October 1847

Clapham, London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

Died20 September 1933(1933-09-20) (aged 85)

Adyar, Chinglepet District, Madras Presidency, British India
(now Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India)

Known forTheosophist, women's rights activist, writer and orator
Political partyIndian National Congress
Social Democratic Federation
MovementIndian independence movement
Spouse

Frank Besant

(m. 1867; div. 1873)​
ChildrenArthur, Mabel, Jiddu Krishnamurti (adopted)

Annie Besant (néeWood; 1 October 1847 – 20 September 1933) was a British socialist, theosophist, freemason, women's rights and Home Rule activist, educationist and campaigner for Indian nationalism.[1][2] She was an ardent supporter of both Irish and Indian self-rule.[1] She became the first female president of the Indian National Co

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