With her mother and sisters, she formed the first biracial women's abolitionist group, the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society.

She hosted anti-slavery events at her home and with her husband Robert Purvis ran an Underground Railroad station.

[4]: 169  William Lloyd Garrison wrote of the family "who have few superiors in refinement, in moral worth, in all that makes the human character worthy of admiration and praise.

[3] The first country's biracial abolitionist organization, the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society, was founded by Charlotte, her daughters,[3] and Lucretia Mott.

Harriet and her siblings attended the school and was also taught foreign languages and music by private tutors.

Abolitionist and poet John Greenleaf Whittier wrote a verse for Harriet, expressing his admiration of her.

[6]: 31, 97 She was married in her family's home on September 13, 1831, to a Mixed race American, Robert Purvis from South Carolina.

[4]: 172 They employed servants, including an English governess, which made it possible for Harriet to actively work on the causes important to her.

[6]: 42  Others in the city rallied against blacks and people who aided refugee slaves, which erupted in race riots and violence in the 1830s.

[9]: 68 Harriet's sister Sarah, who married Robert's brother Joseph Purvis, wrote articles and poems for the Liberator under pseudonyms.

Frank Johnson, a black band leader, wrote music for her poem The Grave of the Slave,[3] which was often played at anti-slavery events.

[3] Harriet's brother Robert was left a widower about 1840 and his daughter, Charlotte, lived with the Purvis's and received her education from a private tutor.

[7]: 14  Charles Burleigh Purvis was a physician, medical school educator, and the first African American to run a civilian hospital.

[5] Robert Purvis helped his wife out of the carriage and angry people who looked on thought that they were an interracial couple promoting "amalgamation" of the races.

It also generated reactions among people who feared mixture of the races, or miscegenation, and were generally concerned about women's intervention in public affairs.

[6]: 96 After the Thirteenth Amendment was passed, Purvis continued her efforts to improve the rights of African Americans.

Purvis, Lucretia Mott, and Sarah Pugh stayed true to their stance on free produce as a matter of principle.

[10]: 12  Harriet hosted meetings of abolitionists in her house[2] and was a leader of the Female Vigilant Society,[1] which provided monies for transportation and clothing to the travelers.

[2] Harriet was a member of the National Woman Suffrage Association and a friend of Susan B. Anthony[12]: 34  and Lucretia Mott,[1] who also worked for the right to vote for blacks and women, against slavery, and for safe passage of refugee slaves.

[5] Harriet and her sister Margaretta Forten were key organizers of the Fifth National Women's Rights Convention in Philadelphia in 1854.

[2][6]: 186  She died in Washington, D.C., where Robert worked as commissioner of Freedman's Saving Bank,[13] and was buried in Germantown at the Quaker Fair Hill Burial Ground[2] at 9th and Cambria.