Frances Wright

Frances Wright was an Scottish born, free thinker and radical who emigrated to the United States and attempted to set up a utopian society, the Nashoba Commune, for slaves transitioning from slavery to freedom. She advocated feminism and free schooling for all children. She was wrote books and lectured to this effect. There is some evidence that Whitman attended some of her lectures which seems appropriate as he shared all of these views as well. The difference is that she was an abolitionist and he was not though they both believed in equality for slaves.