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Friends' Association of Philadelphia for the Aid and Elevation of the Freedmen, Annual Reports
Report of the Executive Board of Friends' Association for the Aid and Elevation of the Freedmen, Read at the Meeting of the Association
Yearly reports printed for annual meeting of the association. Largely consist of narrative accounts of the freedmen's progress, drawn from letters sent by teachers who operated colored schools under the care of the association. Most years, a list of the society's officers, the treasurer's report, accounts of donations received in cash and goods, and an overview of distributions made were also included.
1864 - 1871
192 p. ; 22 cm.
reformatted digital
SG 3
Friends Freedmen's Association Records--http://archives.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/resources/4024frfr
The Women's Association of Philadelphia for the Relief of the Freedmen was founded in 1862 to provide charitable assistance to recently freed slaves. Many Quakers were involved in this organization, but it was not until the following year that a similar group that was officially affiliated with the Society of Friends emerged. The Friends Association of Philadelphia and its Vicinity for the Relief of Colored Freedmen, was founded by Orthodox Quaker men in 1863. Soon after, in 1864, an equivalent group was established by Hicksite Quakers of both sexes: the Friends' Association for the Aid and Elevation of the Freedmen (amended to the more precise "Friends' Association of Philadelphia for the Aid and Elevation of the Freedmen"), which incorporated the Women's Association in 1865. It is unclear when this association closed, but it was in existence at least as late as 1872. Its Orthodox counterpart, renamed Friends' Freedmen's Association circa 1873, continued to operate in various capacities--most recently as a scholarship fund--until it was dissolved in 1982.
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month among the colored people. Iam taxing them twenty cents a
piece, and they all seem willing to give that.
“* Yesterday I visited eight families:; they are all settled on land,
but have not paid for it yet, although ‘hey are in a fair way of doing
well when they once get a fair start. I called on one old couple aged
92 and 80 respectively. They are very smart, and appear to have
every thing around them to make them comfortable. Uncle Cesar,
(aged 92) makes shoes, tubs, buckets, &c., and comes to First-day
School, seldom missing a day !
‘It is very pleasant to go round amongst these people and re-
ceive the small tokens of their friendship. One place I visited, they
were weaving their cloth or homespun, they say it takes a month to
weave one piece.
‘‘How much patience and labor it requires merely to get a little
clothing to wear. They are aiming to raise cotton enough to clothe
themselves, Further than that they seem to think it does not pay.
‘‘ How the spirit of self dependence permeates them—and how
the industrial education that has been bestowed upon them is begin-
ning to bring forth good fruit.” -
CaroLine THomas, formerly in our employ, after delineat-
ing the position she occupies with her school, being, to some
extent, independent of the Government officials, remarks :—
‘* T sometimes fear the free schools, in many cases, will not result
in much good to the colored people. For instance, in the Leesburg
district there are five schools for the whites and only one for the
colored population, although the trustees of this district seem inclined
to do the tair thing as regards an equal distribution for the two races,
Some days I think my school is very interesting, and that I wouid
like some of my friends at the North to step in; at other times I feel
disheartened fora season, especially when a large, full-grown man
cannot spell ‘ b-o-o-k,? or when so many of them make so many errors
in arithmetic.’
She, closes with a feeling allusion to the death of the late
THomas. GaRRETT, having the assurance that “the messenger
found him ready for the summons.” We are always pleased to
hear from this faithful laborer, and hope the mutual interest
now felt may ever continue.
Our energetic friend, CHALKLEY GILLINGHAM, writes from
Woodlawn, and thus acknowledges an appropriation made by
our Association :—
‘Please accept my hearty thanks to all the Friends concerned,
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Friends Freedmen's Association Records --http://archives.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/resources/4024frfr