Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society

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The Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society was established in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by James and Lucretia Mott in 1833.[1][2]

At the time, Pennsylvania was an openly racist state, withdrawing blacks' voting rights in 1838.[3]

In August 1850, William Still while working as a clerk for the Society, was assisting a fugative slave calling himself "Peter Freedman". As the escapee's story was similar to many he had heard before, it took a while for Still to realize that Freedman was his long-lost brother. It was this incident that galvanized Still's resolve and compelled him to document his work with the Underground Railroad, later published as The Underground Rail Road Records.[3]

In 1855, while working for the Society, Passmore Williamson and William Still helped Jane Johnson escape slavery while in Philadelphia with her master, a well-known congressman, John Hill Wheeler. As one of the first challenges to the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 the case created a scandle, with Williamson imprisoned for several months, charged with riot, forcible abduction, and assault. The judge in the case rejected an affidavit from Johnson affirming that there had been no abduction as "immaterial". Williamson eventually turned his cell into a virtual abolitionist media center, drawing visits from luminaries like Frederick Douglass.[4]

Robert Purvis, son of a wealthy cotton broker, served as president from 1845 to 1850.[1]

[edit] See also

Philadelphia Portal

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b National Park Service - U.S. Department of the Interior. "Underground Railroad Connections With the First Women's Rights Convention". Accessed May 2, 2008.
  2. ^ pbs.org. Africans in America, "Executive Committee of Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society". Accessed May 2, 2008.
  3. ^ a b Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ExplorePAHistory.com, "Underground Railroad". Accessed May 2, 2008.
  4. ^ Newman, Richard S. The Historical Society of Pennsylvania - "The Pennsylvania Abolition Society: Restoring a Group to Glory". Accessed May 2, 2008.