Quakers and Slavery

Haverford

The Religious Society of Friends was the first corporate body in Britain and North America to fully condemn slavery as both ethically and religiously wrong in all circumstances. It is in Quaker records that we have some of the earliest manifestations of anti-slavery sentiment, dating from the 1600s. After the 1750s, some Quakers actively engaged in attempting to sway public opinion in Britain and America against the slave trade and slavery in general. At the same time, some Quakers became actively involved in the economic, educational and political well being of the formerly enslaved.

 Quakers and Slavery was a consortial project of Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections and Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. Funding was provided by the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services, through a program stipulated by the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). This program is administered in Pennsylvania through the Office of Commonwealth Libraries for assisting libraries in providing all users access to information, developing partnerships, and increasing information access for persons who have difficulty gaining it.

Browsing as Anonymous (not verified)
1149 items [showing 1 - 20]

Pages

The American Anti-Slavery Society 50th Anniversary
Title:
The American Anti-Slavery Society 50th Anniversary
Description:
Documents prepared for, and correspondence related to, the fiftieth anniversary of the Anti-Slavery Convention (held in Philadelphia in 1833), and the American Anti-Slavery Society that was formed on the occasion. Most documents in this collection are taken from the Daniel Neall Jr. (1817-1894) papers.
Date:
1833 - 1886
Collection:
Daniel Neall papers, Quakers and Slavery, Swarthmore
Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting Minutes, 1754 [extracts]
Title:
Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting Minutes, 1754 [extracts]
Description:
Minute entries in which Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting members suggest that Philadelphia Yearly Meeting issue an epistle against the buying and keeping of slaves. Extracts from entry for 1754.
Date:
1754-09-14
Collection:
Quakers and Slavery, Haverford College
London Yearly Meeting Circular Epistle on Slavery, 1840-05-20
Title:
London Yearly Meeting Circular Epistle on Slavery, 1840-05-20
Description:
Circular Epistle of the London Yearly Meeting concerning Slavery.
Date:
1840-05-20
Collection:
Quakers and Slavery, Haverford College
The Slave
Title:
The Slave
Description:
British anti-slavery paper included in the papers of George Washington Taylor's free produce store.
Date:
1854-01
Collection:
Quakers and Slavery, Haverford College
Some considerations on the keeping of Negroes : recommended to the professors of Christianity of every denomination
Title:
Some considerations on the keeping of Negroes : recommended to the professors of Christianity of every denomination
Description:
Essay protesting slavery on religious grounds.
Date:
1754
Collection:
Quakers and Slavery, Haverford College
Maryland Colonization Society Records
Title:
Maryland Colonization Society Records
Description:
Bound volume contains pages entered in two directions, from the front and back covers. One side identifies the officers of auxiliaries to the Maryland Colonization Society, and names various individuals sympathetic to the cause. Reverse entered from the back of the book is a list of applicants to Liberia from August 1832. Also included are a table summarizing the Maryland Census of 1830, a printed address by the Maryland Colonization Society in 1832, and miscellaneous extracts and memoranda. This volume was owned by Moses Sheppard, a Baltimore Friend and active member in the Maryland Colonization Society.
Date:
1831 - 1835
Collection:
Moses Sheppard Papers, Quakers and Slavery, Swarthmore
Letter to George Washington Taylor, 1854-10-20
Title:
Letter to George Washington Taylor, 1854-10-20
Description:
Letter from Elihu Burritt regarding the Free Produce Movement. Particularly regarding the establishment of the first Free Produce Colony in the South.
Date:
1854-10-20
Collection:
Quakers and Slavery, Haverford College
Letter from Thomas Garrett, 1861-12-02
Title:
Letter from Thomas Garrett, 1861-12-02
Description:
Letter from Thomas Garrett to his children in which he mentions the emancipation bill in Congress
Date:
1861-12-02
Collection:
Quakers and Slavery, Haverford College
Letter to Samuel Fothergill, 1771-10-24
Title:
Letter to Samuel Fothergill, 1771-10-24
Description:
Letter from Anthony Benezet to Samuel Fothergill in regards to pamphlets published on the slave trade.
Date:
1771-10-24
Collection:
Quakers and Slavery, Haverford College
Letter to Selina, Countess of Huntington, 1775-04-10
Title:
Letter to Selina, 1775-04-10
Description:
Xerox copy of a letter from Anthony Benezet to Selina, Countess if Huntington. This letter is in regard to the orphanage in Georgia established and run by George Whitefield, under the patronage of the Countess. Whitefield had encouraged the colony of Georgia to end its prohibition of slavery. Benezet expresses respect for Whitefield but indicates that his reasoning for slavery is self serving rationalization.
Date:
1775-04-10
Collection:
Quakers and Slavery, Haverford College
Lucretia Mott letter to Martha Mott Lord
Title:
Lucretia Mott letter to Martha Mott Lord
Description:
Written from Roadside. The paper also bears a printed circular from the Rhode Island Radical Peace Society, dated 1867. Lucretia Mott shares various news of family and friends, including her servant Mary Quin's marriage and a visit from Mary Pen, a former servant. She plans to attend Rachel Wilson Moore's wedding.
Date:
1867-04-21
Collection:
Mott Manuscripts
Letter to Samuel Allinson
Title:
Letter to Samuel Allinson
Description:
A letter from Anthony Benezet to Samuel Allinson. The first page(s) are missing from this letter.
Date:
1773-12-14
Collection:
Quakers and Slavery, Haverford College
Philadelphia Monthly Meeting for the Southern District Minutes, 1844-04-22 [extracts]
Title:
Philadelphia Monthly Meeting for the Southern District Minutes, 1844-04-22 [extracts]
Description:
Report of the committee who have charge of the schools for black people discussing property purchase at Locust and Rhasberry streets.
Date:
1844-04-22
Collection:
Quakers and Slavery, Haverford College
An essay on the slavery and commerce of the human species, particularly the African. Translated from a Latin dissertation, which was honored with the first prize in the University of Cambridge, for the year 1785. With additions.
Title:
An essay on the slavery and commerce of the human species, particularly the African. Translated from a Latin dissertation, for the year 1785. With additions.
Description:
Clarkson's dissertation protesting the continuation of the slave trade. Includes sections on the history of the slave trade generally, slavery withinin Africa, and the European and colonial enslavement of Africans.
Date:
1786
Collection:
Quakers and Slavery, Haverford College
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Minutes, 1730 [extracts]
Title:
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Minutes, 1730 [extracts]
Description:
Minute entry in which representatives of various quarterly meeting debate whether Friends should be permitted to purchase imported slaves resulting in an official proscription of Friends owning slaves. Date inscribed on item is based on the Julian calendar.
Date:
1730-09-19 - 1730-09-23
Collection:
Quakers and Slavery, Haverford College
Lucretia Mott letter to Martha Mott Lord
Title:
Lucretia Mott letter to Martha Mott Lord
Description:
Written from Roadside. Written over a printed circular advertising the annual meeting of the Rosine Association. Lucretia Mott discusses recent news about family and friends. She has recently been visited by L.E. Ricks of Washington, D.C., who is aiding freedmen; Mott discusses Ricks's fundraising and briefly mentions Frances D. Gage.
Date:
1866-07-20
Collection:
Mott Manuscripts
Philadelphia Manumissions Book
Title:
Philadelphia Manumissions Book
Description:
Manumissions Book, 1772-1786. This volume is filled with the names of Quakers and others who released their slaves and provides the name of their Meeting and names of their slaves. While all the districts of Philadelphia are represented, the greatest number of manumissions came from members of the Monthly meeting of Philadelphia (Arch Street). Pages 60-80, 113-160, 183-186, and 194-212 from manumissions book are blank.
Date:
1772 - 1786
Collection:
Quakers and Slavery, Haverford College
Letter to George Dillwyn, 1779-10
Title:
Letter to George Dillwyn, 1779-10
Description:
Letter from Anthony Benezet to George Dillwyn regarding his essay giving an account of Friends. Also gives a copy of letter from James Cannon.
Date:
1779-10
Collection:
Quakers and Slavery, Haverford College
Letter to George Dillwyn, 1781-07
Title:
Letter to George Dillwyn, 1781-07
Description:
Letter from Anthony Benezet to George Dillwyn. Benezet has sent the History of the Church of Scotland.
Date:
1781-07
Collection:
Quakers and Slavery, Haverford College
Letter to George Washington Taylor, 1846-11-11
Title:
Letter to George Washington Taylor, 1846-11-11
Description:
Letter from Elihu Burritt describing the progress of the Free Produce Movement in Great Britain and advising G.W. Taylor on strengthening the Free Produce Movement in the U. S.
Date:
1846-11-11
Collection:
Quakers and Slavery, Haverford College

Pages