Anna Garlin Spencer

Anna Garlin Spencer (1851–1931) was an American educator, minister, and social reformer whose work linked religion with progressive-era social ethics. Born in New York, she studied at the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary and later became one of the first women ordained in the United States, serving as a pastor in Rhode Island. Spencer wrote and lectured widely on education, sociology, and the social responsibilities of faith, and she was active in movements for women’s rights and social welfare. She taught at the New York School of Philanthropy (later part of Columbia University) and published influential books and essays on family life, ethics, and social reform.