James William Charles Pennington was an American historian, abolitionist, orator, minister, writer, and social organizer. Pennington is the first known Black student to attend Yale University. He was ordained as a minister in the Congregational Church, later also serving in Presbyterian churches for congregations in Hartford, Connecticut, and New York. After the Civil War, he served congregations in Natchez, Mississippi, Portland, Maine, and Jacksonville, Florida.

The National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum is a museum located in Peterboro, New York, that honors American abolitionists by showcasing their work to end slavery, and the legacy of their struggle: the drive to end racism.