Philadelphia and the End of Slavery Michael Reardon
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Philadelphia and the End of North and South being split on the slave Slavery issue, but later cities like Philadelphia saw more unrest. In the end, Philadelphia played a vital role in the growing abolitionist Michael Reardon movement in the United States. Without a Senior, History movement like the one in Philadelphia, it was possible that the Civil War could have Following the gradual emancipation occurred significantly later and slaves would of slavery in Pennsylvania in 1780, have been in bondage for decades longer. Philadelphia and its surrounding areas had a Just four years after the United States lasting impact on the practice in the United declared its independence from Britain, States. Being that Pennsylvania was Pennsylvania passed a law which called for bordered by multiple slave states, it was the slow abolition of slavery within its seen as a viable escape venue for many borders. This act permanently freed all slaves that wanted to escape their bondage. African-Americans that had already been Philadelphia had a long history in the United considered free. Essentially, under this law States’ ongoing slave debate and many anybody who was not already a slave could abolitionists at the time based themselves no longer be sold as property within the out of the Philadelphia area. Over time many commonwealth of Pennsylvania.1 The goal anti-slavery societies developed in the area in enacting this was to not anger current and abolitionists began to surface. These slave owners, but to ensure that abolitionists ranged from simple everyday Pennsylvania’s slave trade did not grow. people to men like Benjamin Franklin who This law brought a new type of society to remains a household name to this day. Pennsylvania. Philadelphia in particular was Along with abolitionists, the one of the most adaptive, as jobs, churches, Underground Railroad became a popular and even schools were erected for the black option for slaves hoping to escape and many population. Despite racial issues arising in of the stops along the way were in the the city, and as more African-Americans Philadelphia area. Fugitive slaves often arrived, Philadelphia lived up to its name as escaped to Philadelphia and its suburbs and the “City of Brotherly Love.” As anti- hid out from slave catchers that hoped to slavery societies and anti-slavery rhetoric return them to the South. These grew within the city, Philadelphia quickly Underground Railroad stops made became one of the safest places for ex-slaves Philadelphia integral in slave escapes and in and fugitive slaves to go.2 their quest to obtain long-term freedom. It Despite the praise that Pennsylvania was through major cities in the early United received from many of its citizens, the States that the anti-slavery movement grew passage of this law did not please and the quest toward emancipation began. everybody. There were some who did not Initially, Northerners were content with the believe in the gradual abolition of slavery. In 1 1781, just one year after the law was put into standpoint.5 Philadelphia quickly had the action, there were attempts to repeal it. This largest concentration of African-Americans would have meant that free African- within the state of Pennsylvania.6 Its Americans living within Pennsylvania’s geographical location and growth in borders would once again be subjected to abolitionists within its borders made it an slavery. While the legislature voted against important city for the antislavery movement repealing the act, some of the letters and in the United States. articles that followed show how former One of the best ways for people to slaves coped with the possibility of their get the word of abolitionists to the public return to bondage. One such example of this was through anti-slavery societies. One of comes from a former slave named Cato who the earliest and most famous anti-slavery wrote about how nothing would be worse society to form in Philadelphia was the than granting slaves freedom, letting them Philadelphia Anti-Slavery Society. It was live a free life, and then returning them to founded in 1775, but did most of its work their bondage. Cato said, “Our lots in following Pennsylvania’s gradual abolition slavery were hard enough to bear; but law. The society was located on Walnut having tasted the sweets of freedom, we Street, which provided easy access for both should now be miserable indeed.” 3 He then its white and black members. Its overall goal questions Christianity by saying, “Surely no was to better the African race.7 This society Christian gentlemen can be so cruel!”4 One worked tirelessly at emancipating slaves and of the main tactics in employing the change growing the nation through its anti-slavery in laws at this time was to use freed blacks rhetoric. Many of their platforms stood on to reach out to the population. Ex-slaves’ ideas like slavery being anti-Christian and words were powerful and valuable in the slavery being harmful to the prosperity of fight to abolish slavery throughout the state the United States. The society called for the and country. speedy abolition of slavery and they Philadelphia was a popular believed that this could be achieved destination for fugitive slaves because it was peaceably and rather quickly. In other close to where Pennsylvania bordered slave words, the society believed that slavery states Delaware and Maryland. Slaves that could be abolished nationwide if the United lived in the northern parts of the South often States government took a similar approach recognized Philadelphia as part of their to the state of Pennsylvania. While they journey to freedom. In fact, former slave and waited for the movement to grow, they put abolitionist Frederick Douglass stated that some of their efforts into improving he would pay attention to how steamboats conditions for free African-Americans living got to Philadelphia. He would learn their in Philadelphia.8 This made them a society routes so that we would have a better for not only slaves, but a society for the understanding of how to get to the city and improvement of race relations in the United where it was from a geographical States. Of course, this did not come easily as 2 even free African-Americans were treated States, however it also had some other poorly throughout Philadelphia and the rest important aspects. In Pennsylvania, the of the country. organization took on smaller tasks like The Philadelphia Anti-Slavery education for the black community and Society was an extensive organization with a legally assisting African-Americans who hierarchy of power and annual membership were endangered by their opposition to fees. Its Constitution laid out the chain of slavery. While the institutions that command as well as the steps that people developed were segregated, they were a start needed to take if they wished to join. Some that very few other cities offered. Following of the rules required to join included being Pennsylvania passing the gradual twenty-one years old and being approved by emancipation law in 1780, this became the the Board of Managers. Once they accepted PAS’s main goal for the rest of the country. somebody into the society, the person would They often approached these types of be required to pay the annual fee of two movements through legal action instead of dollars. Similar to the Constitution of the mass organization. They are noted multiple United States, the society’s Constitution times having petitioned congress, federal required a two-thirds vote by the members courts, and state government. As the of the society to amend the document.9 This abolitionist movement grew, antislavery society essentially led Philadelphia through societies began to appear more often and the its role in the slave debate; its prominence PAS became less popular. Regardless, this was overwhelming throughout the city. The society was huge in starting the fight toward goal, to “never cease our endeavors, until abolition and the ultimate eradication of the slavery shall become entirely extinct, and institution.11 our institutions, effectually purged from the Following in the footsteps of gross impurities which they have acquired societies like the Philadelphia Anti-Slavery under its influence” brought people together Society and the Pennsylvania Abolition in joining and played a part in Philadelphia’s Society, the American Anti-Slavery Society importance during this critical time.10 was formed. This society was not simply an Another major anti-slavery society at organization for the city of Philadelphia or this time was the Pennsylvania Abolition the state of Pennsylvania, but a society Society (PAS). It was also founded in 1775, designed for growing the abolitionist and although the PAS was a statewide movement in the entire country. The other, organization, it was prominent and grew smaller and local societies essentially throughout the city of Philadelphia. It morphed into this bigger, unified society in quickly expanded to become the world’s 1833. While the smaller societies in leading anti-slavery organization during this Philadelphia did not go away, the fact that time. Its main focus was obviously on the American Anti-Slavery Society was abolishing the practice of slavery and housed within Philadelphia’s borders made emancipating every slave in the United the organization more appealing to those 3 serious about advocating for the abolition of Pennsylvania. The earliest signs of slavery.12 The American Anti-Slavery Franklin’s personal interest in the anti- Society was formed in Philadelphia on slavery movement came in the late 1750s, December 4, 1833 and quickly became the but Franklin was careful to keep his largest of such societies in the United States. abolitionist-agenda quiet. In 1729, Franklin Its entire goal revolved around the complete was approached by a writer who wished to emancipation of all slaves in the United publish an antislavery manuscript.16 At this States.