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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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the story better than her lips possibly could. You cannot begin to know
what a treat your nice candy was to them; some of them most likely had
never known the taste before. Indeed, all you sent was a rich offering
to them. We know you have had peaceful slumbers and happy hearts,
as rewards for the good deed, and our Heavenly Father will bless you.
Farewell. Lovingly, your friend, By eae
From Corne.ia Hancock, Mt. Pleasant, S. C.:—
We were enabled by the generosity of a friend to bring Christmas to
about two hundred little children. We had a large tree, reaching from
floor to ceiling, loaded with gifts of every description. The children all
assembled in one room around the tree, and sang several pretty pieces,
after which the work of distributing commenced, which to us was work,
and to them was joy unspeakable.
From Mary McBrips, at Vienna :—
One of the colored men supplied me with a tree, which I trimmed
with toys, &c. I added another pound of candy, made forty or fifty
little bags, and filled them; I also had three cakes given me. The ©
children were all invited to be present in the school-room at half-past
eleven o’clock on Christmas day, and they each had a piece of cake and a
bag of candy handed them from a waiter, also some taken from the tree.
They sang a Christmas carol, I made a short speech, and altogether we
had quite a happy time.”
From Saran A. STEER :—
In returning thanks on behalf of my colored people for these
acceptable and timely gifts, I cannot help wishing that those who sent
them could have the pleasure of distributing them, and receiving in per-
son the thanks of the grateful recipients.
The books, toys, &c., I shall give them on Christmas eve. There will
be no happier children in all Philadelphia than my little curly heads
when I give their presents to them. They can imagine the exclamations
of delight I shall hear, for these little boys and girls have never owned,
and few of them have ever seen, such treasures. The Circular Letter was
received by the Freedmen with real pleasure. I have been requested to
read it again and again by those who did not meet at the time I appointed
‘to read it, and all expressed to me their love to the kind friends who are
doing so much for them.
Waterford, Va.
From Frances E. GAUSE :—
Thy favors of the 4th and 2ist inst. have been received; also
the bale of clothing and barrel. I send thee the list of contents. Accept
my thanks for the papers.
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Friends Freedmen's Association Records --http://archives.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/resources/4024frfr