Photograph of a painted portrait of Richard Furman, M.A., D.D., who was an influential Baptist leader from Charleston, S.C., and the first president of the South Carolina State Baptist Convention. Furman was born October 9, 1755 and died August 25, 1825. He was an influential voice in justifying slavery on moral and biblical grounds for Baptists and others throughout South Carolina. Furman University is named in his honor, and he is the father of James Clement Furman, it's first president.