In 1753, the friends book of discipline stated let us make his the slave cause. The partys main platform was bringing an end to slavery by political and legal means. Women abolitionists as the main purchasers of sugar, women were to play an important role in quaker anti slavery movement and used their influence to boycott the purchase of products of slavery. This list of quaker men and women illustrates the variety of quaker contributions to the abolition of slavery organisational, financial, academic and activist.
Guy duqella patrick hassell cassandra jackson elizabeth marmesh melissa saldana quakers in the antislavery movement before the eighteenth century, very few white men questioned the morality of slavery. Pfass was one of the few integrated abolitionist societies, allowing black women, such as cofounder margaretta forten, to both join and serve as board members. The religious society of friends quakers was the first corporate body in britain and north america to fully condemn slavery as both ethically and religiously wrong in all circumstances. This list was drawn from a number of primary and secondary sources. Each side considered itself the legitimate society of friends. There was a scattering of local societies, such as the new york city manumission society founded 1785 and the pennsylvania abolition society founded 1789. They were able to carry popular quaker sentiment with them and, beginning in the 1750s, pennsylvanian quakers tightened their rules, by 1758 making it effectively an act of misconduct to engage in slave trading. The party was originally part of the american anti slavery however. Benezet was one of many quakers who believed that the slave trade and slavery contradicted the teachings of christ. In the 1750s, though, a new jersey quaker named john woolman took up the antislavery cause and traveled widely to denounce the evils of slavery. First american abolition society founded in philadelphia. The essays are a pleasure to read, both individually and as a group, and they are. This work provides a more complete understanding of the diversity and complexity of historical quaker responses to slaveryantislavery.
Antislavery movement in the united states national library. Margaret fell, letters, and the making of quakerism is the first book to connect the. The 1688 germantown quaker petition against slavery was the first protest against africanamerican slavery made by a religious body in the english colonies. Full text of the free produce movement a quaker protest. Throughout the generations and decades quaker individuals, families and local meetings have continued to support this organisation and its work. It was drafted by francis daniel pastorius and signed by him and three other quakers living in germantown, pennsylvania now part of philadelphia on behalf of the germantown meeting of the religious society of friends. After the end of slavery in the united states, the british organisation refocussed. By the spring of 1837, if not for several years previous, the clarkson, east fallowfield, uwchlan and kennett antislavery societies in chester county all had women officersa unique distinction at this time. Philadelphia quakers and the antislavery movement quakers. Lancaster was not home to any large, nationallyknown antislavery societies.
Clarksons essay, however, was greatly inspired by an american quaker, anthony benezet, and his book some historical account of guinea. Women abolitionists as the main purchasers of sugar, women were to play an important role in quaker antislavery movement and used their influence to boycott the purchase of products of slavery. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The convergence of quakers and slavery in the new world started in the west indies in the midtolate 1600s.
Franklin collection, rare book and special collections division, library of. In april 1837, the clarkson and east fallowfield anti slavery societies called for the creation of a chester county anti slavery society with women heading the names appended to the invitation and also to the separate address to the female citizens of chester county and parts adjacent bore the names of twentyfive women. A successor organisation, the british and foreign anti slavery society, was formed in 1839 to fight for global abolition. Head of the leicester ladies antislavery group and treasurer for the birmingham one, she passionately believed that slaves should be freed immediately and in 1824, wrote the pamphlet immediate not gradual abolition. Through mergers and name changes, it is now known as antislavery international. By 1840 the society had 250,000 members, published more than twenty journals and 2,000 local chapters. The following is a list of american abolitionists, antislavery activists and opponents of slavery. Apr 01, 2015 larger, more comprehensive works on the quakers and slavery are needed and hopefully these two books will inspire historians to get to work. The quaker five were key members of the 17871807 british national campaign committee james phillips 17451799, joseph woods 17381812, george harrison 17471827.
Lancaster quakers and the campaign to abolish slavery. Apr 07, 2014 this work provides a more complete understanding of the diversity and complexity of historical quaker responses to slaveryantislavery. It is in quaker records that we have some of the earliest manifestations. The four men presented their petition at the local monthly meeting at dublin abington, but it is not clear what they expected to happen. Friends like anthony benezet and john woolman worked tirelessly to convince other whites to abolish slavery and embrace liberty for all. The whole abolitionist movement, the cadre of antislavery lecturers, was primarily focused on the north. W442 1839 rare book collection, university of north carolina at chapel hill. Philadelphia quakers and the antislavery movement, written by independent historian brian temple, is the more accessible of the two works, being less academic in style and with a focused narrative. The practice of slavery continued and was tolerated in quaker society in the years immediately following the 1688 petition. Fourteen years ago, when i began research for my book christian slavery, i wanted to understand this abolitionist history better. The american antislavery society elected officers and adopted a constitution. Quakers believe that all people are created equal in the eyes of god. In this list are african american and caucasian abolitionists and antislavery activists.
During the 1740s and 50s, anti slavery sentiment took a firmer hold. The anti slavery society organised meetings, arranged the signing of petitions, printed and distributed anti slavery propaganda and employed people to go on lecture tours of the united states. Timely and very important, this book demonstrates how over nearly a century quakers constructed a corporate discourse of antislavery and how that discourse became the basis for all later antislavery sentiment in america a model of fine scholarship. Abolition of slavery and the quakers merion friends meeting. Through mergers and name changes, it is now known as anti slavery international.
Abolition, antislavery movements, and the rise of the. Apush chapter vocabulary religion, romanticism, and reform. William savery 17501804, was a passionate philadelphian abolitionist who petitioned congress to abolish slavery as early as 1783. Abolition of slavery abolition society abolitionists address american antislavery american quaker anthony benezet anti antislavery society association of friends baltimore yearly meeting barbados benjamin lay boston buying carolina yearly meeting christian colonial committee congress conservative delphia disowned elias hicks emancipation england yearly meeting epistle essay free negroes friend philadelphia friends historical george fox historical society history hopper ibid indiana yearly. A political party that started during the two party systems in the 1840s. This volume faithfully seeks to correct that oversight, offering accessible yet provocative new. Although questions of conscience did occasionally arise, slaveholding was not prohibited in quaker doctrine. Jenkins, charles f, the guide book to historic germantown, site and relic society, germantown, 1915. The book is open to the pages containing lyrics to the tune of the marseillaise, the french national anthem, which to 19thcentury americans symbolized the determination to bring about freedom, by force if necessary. The controversies that roiled the quaker antislavery movement. Whatever their input, all of them shared a deep concern to right the terrible injustices of slavery. As secretary and leading light of the birmingham antislavery society he played a key role in. Encyclopedia of greater philadelphia religious society of.
Emma sophia sturge opened an anti slavery depot in bath that. Published by the american antislavery society, office, no. Before 1833 the antislavery movement in america was largely unorganised. Quakers and slavery, the title of this conference, focuses on phenomena occurring over two hundred years beginning in the 1650s and ending in 1864. It shows how the quakers turned against slavery in the first half of the eighteenth century and became the first organization to take a stand against the slave trade. In 1776, quakers were prohibited from owning slaves, and 14. When the civil war broke out, he continued to blast the constitution as a pro. In the first book to investigate in detail the origins of antislavery thought and rhetoric within the society of friends. From peace to freedom investigates in detail the origins of antislavery thought and rhetoric within the society of friends. Start studying apush chapter vocabulary religion, romanticism, and reform.
While quaker antislavery was a powerful contemporary influence in both the united states and europe, presentday scholars pay little substantive attention to the subject. Ryan jordan explores this dilemma in his new book, slavery and the. It is in quaker records that we have some of the earliest manifestations of anti slavery sentiment, dating from the 1600s. Quakers have had a good press for their responses to slavery in spite of the pervasive racism within and outside the meeting nevertheless, before 1750 and after 1830, a friend could be disowned for vigorous, public opposition to the meetings position on slavery. An international interdisciplinary conference was held in philadephia on 4 6 november 2010. Resources in the friends historical collection at guilford college supporting research and topics relating to quakers, slavery, antislavery efforts, and the underground railroad with special focus on guilford county and north carolina connections. Recent scholarship in quaker history friends historical association. The quaker comet was the greatest abolitionist youve never heard of overlooked by historians, benjamin lay was one of the nations first radicals to argue for an end to slavery. The quaker campaign to end slavery can be traced back to the late 1600s, and many played a pivotal role in the underground railroad. At present, this list includes more than 2,500 names. Library of the religious society of friends in britain. The quaker comet was the greatest abolitionist youve never. Quakers are much involved in modern anti slavery movements.
During the 1740s and 50s, antislavery sentiment took a firmer hold. Neither quakerism nor slavery was the same at the beginning of. Abolition, antislavery movements, and the rise of the sectional. It was hosted by the mcneil center for early american studies, swarthmore college, and haverford college, and supported by bryn mawr college, kingston university london, and the university of east anglia.
In fact, quaker antislavery sentiment evolved slowly over many years. The pas did not allow women among its ranks and so quaker minister lucretia mott and other abolitionist women formed the philadelphia female antislavery society pfass in 1833. Jordan explores the limits of religious dissent in antebellum america, and reminds us of the difficulties facing reformers who tried peacefully to. In this plea for the abolition of the slave trade, anthony benezet, a quaker of french. The society for the relief of free negroes unlawfully held in bondage, the first american society dedicated to the cause of abolition, is founded in philadelphia on april 14, 1775. One of the most notable quakers in the underground railroad was levi coffin, who was born in guilford county, north carolina, but as a young man moved to indiana and later to cincinnati. The antislavery society organised meetings, arranged the signing of petitions, printed and distributed antislavery propaganda and employed people to go on lecture tours of the united states. The hicksite quarterly meeting denied the use of meeting houses for antislavery lecturers on the grounds that the speakers, even though quaker, were paid by abolition societies, thus invoking the rule against hireling ministry. Quaker abolitionist benjamin lay was disowned for condemning. Quakers as slave owners beyond the history textbooks. In her book the slavery of sex, blanche glassman hersh. Full text of the free produce movement a quaker protest against slavery see other formats. Slavery, politics and the ethics of business centers on the controversy surrounding the use by cadbury bros.
At this stage, most quakers were pro slavery, or at least they did not. In the early nineteenth century, as national campaigns to abolish slavery gathered steam in the united states and britain, lancaster had long ceased to be a port in the triangle trade and had lost much of the wealth that it had gained from its earlier involvement. From dissidence to sense of the meeting early in the nineteenth century philadelphia friends began pondering their role in early antislavery and using their antislavery credentials to assert their significance in pennsylvania and american history. At this stage, most quakers were proslavery, or at least they did not. The quaker conflict over abolition activism in the fugitive. Anyone who has studied the antebellum period knows that slavery violated quaker principles and that some quakers participated in the underground railroad. In montgomery county, pennsylvania, an antislavery society founded in. Apr, 2020 the society for the relief of free negroes unlawfully held in bondage, the first american society dedicated to the cause of abolition, is founded in philadelphia on april 14, 1775. Womens antislavery societies incorporated a range of tactics including sewing clothing. Quaker participation was evident in various societies, such as the antislavery society set up in 1832, and the british and foreign antislavery society bfass founded in 1839 by joseph sturge and his supporters. I have not found any evidence, among the many local antislavery societies in chester county of an exclusively female antislavery society.
Antislavery societies, black encyclopedia of cleveland. A notable figure was elizabeth heyrick, who led the formation of 70 female antislavery societies across the uk. Sep 23, 20 anyone who has studied the antebellum period knows that slavery violated quaker principles and that some quakers participated in the underground railroad. Find primary sources quakers, slavery, and the underground. Hcfass, provides dynamic uses of the rhetoric women reformers developed to push. Abolition of slavery abolition society abolitionists address american anti slavery american quaker anthony benezet anti anti slavery society association of friends baltimore yearly meeting barbados benjamin lay boston buying carolina yearly meeting christian colonial committee congress conservative delphia disowned elias hicks emancipation. Quakers are much involved in modern antislavery movements. This collection of fifteen insightful essays examines the complexity and diversity of quaker antislavery attitudes across three centuries, from 1658 to 1890. Frederick douglass, an escaped slave, was a key leader of this society who often spoke at its meetings.
The bfass proved to be the most enduring of all the british antislavery societies and survives today as antislavery international. One day in the 1990s, dave wermeling stumbled across an etching of a small, bearded man in a colonial outfit in the quaker meeting house where he is the caretaker. The party was originally part of the american antislavery however. If this is the case, then how can one person own another. A new generation of quakers, including john woolman, anthony benezet and david cooper, protested against slavery, and demanded that quaker society cut ties with the slave trade. Quakers have had a good press for their responses to slavery in spite of the pervasive racism within and outside the meeting. They were able to carry popular quaker sentiment with them and, beginning in the 1750s. Ryan jordan, author of slavery and the meetinghouse. John mercer langston of oberlin was a leader in forming these organizations.
A successor organisation, the british and foreign antislavery society, was formed in 1839 to fight for global abolition. In the 1750s, though, a new jersey quaker named john woolman took up the antislavery cause and. In 1832, he helped form the new england antislavery society. Although they were accepted in the quaker community, they were outsiders who could not speak or write fluently in english, and they also had a fresh view of slavery that was unique to germantown.
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