William Ellery Channing

The minister William Ellery Channing was one of the most vocal advocates of what became known as Unitarianism. Channing, who embraced human dignity and freedom of will, devoted time to social reform causes, including temperance, the alleviation of poverty, and education. His work influenced figures such as the senator Charles Sumner, the educator Horace Mann, and the mental health advocate Dorothea Dix.