First Vegans of the 20th Century

In the 20th century, there were several individuals who advocated for veganism and animal rights. Among the notable early vegan activists were:

1. Donald Watson: Coined the term “vegan” in 1944 and founded The Vegan Society in the United Kingdom. He advocated for a lifestyle that abstained from using any animal products.
2. Leslie Cross: A founding member of The Vegan Society, Cross played a crucial role in promoting veganism and spreading its principles.
3. Henry Stephens Salt: A social reformer, writer, and advocate for animal rights, Salt was active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His work emphasized ethical vegetarianism and the humane treatment of animals.
4. Frances Power Cobbe: A 19th-century animal rights advocate who campaigned against animal cruelty. Although she didn’t specifically advocate for veganism, her work laid some foundational ideas for the ethical treatment of animals.
   
5. Donald Watson:
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     Contribution: Watson was a British animal rights advocate who coined the term “vegan” in 1944. He was motivated by ethical concerns about the use of animals for food and other products. He believed in a lifestyle that abstained from consuming any animal products, including meat, dairy, eggs, and honey.
   • The Vegan Society: Watson founded The Vegan Society in November 1944 along with several others who shared similar beliefs. The society aimed to promote and support veganism as a way of living that excludes exploitation of animals.
   • Advocacy: Throughout his life, Watson remained an active advocate for veganism and animal rights, contributing to literature and speaking engagements to promote the cause.
6. Leslie Cross:
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     Role in The Vegan Society: Cross was one of the founding members of The Vegan Society alongside Donald Watson. He played a significant role in the society’s establishment and in spreading the principles and ideals of veganism.
   • Advocacy: Cross actively promoted veganism, emphasizing the ethical considerations behind abstaining from animal products. His contributions were instrumental in the early growth and development of the vegan movement.
7. Henry Stephens Salt:
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     Social Reformer: Salt was a prominent social reformer, writer, and humanitarian in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He advocated for various social causes, including women’s rights, prison reform, and animal rights.
   • Advocacy for Animal Rights: Salt was a vocal advocate for the ethical treatment of animals and promoted the concept of ethical vegetarianism. His writings, including books like “Animals’ Rights Considered in Relation to Social Progress,” discussed the moral aspects of animal exploitation and cruelty.
8. Frances Power Cobbe:
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     Advocacy for Animal Welfare: Cobbe was a 19th-century British social reformer, suffragist, and campaigner for women’s rights. She also played a significant role in advocating for animal rights and welfare.
   • Work for Animals: Cobbe founded the National Anti-Vivisection Society in 1875, focusing on ending the cruel practices of vivisection (experimentation on live animals). While she primarily campaigned against animal cruelty, her work laid some foundational principles for ethical treatment but didn’t specifically advocate for veganism.

These individuals were pivotal in laying the groundwork for the vegan movement by promoting ethical considerations towards animals, advocating for the cessation of their exploitation, and in the case of Donald Watson and Leslie Cross, specifically popularizing and establishing the term and concept of veganism.