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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 Association, viewing with deep regret the injustice prac-
tised toward the colored race in their exclusion from our city
railway cars, appointed a committee to visit the managers of the
respective companies, and represent our feelings upon the sub-
ject. This committee had several interviews with the directors
and officers of some of the companies, and were encouraged to
believe that the cruel prejudice against color will gradually,
though surely, be superseded by a more enlightened public senti-
ment, which will secure the extension to all citizens of an equal
participation in the public conveyances.
Although great suffering was known to exist among the freed-
people in various parts of the South, and we were sensible of
their earnest importunities for school instruction, yet, for a time,
it seemed almost impossible to obtain definite information of the
points at which it would be safe to locate teachers, or to find
reliable agents to dispose of clothing in localities where it was
known to be needed. After various letters of inquiry on this
account were addressed by our committees to individuals, several
channels opened for the distribution of supplies, and suitable
situations offered for the teachers we were desirous of sending
into the field.
Through the representations of some of the agents of the
Freedmen’s Bureau, also of our friend Reuben Tomlinson,
Inspector of Schools in South Carolina, we were induced to turn
our attention toward the establishment of schools in that State.
Laura Towne, of Philadelphia, who has for several years de-
voted her time and energies to the elevation of the colored peo-
ple there, being on a visit to our city, attended one of our meet-
ings, and gave much valuable information, which decided us to
send two teachers, Philena Heald and Sarah M. Ely, to St.
Helena Island. This island, on the coast of South Carolina, is
ten miles in length, and contains a shifting population of about
three thousand, nearly all colored people. Most of the planta-
tions having been sold for taxes, several of them were divided
into sections, and appropriated to school purposes. The follow-
ing extracts from some of the many letters from the above
teachers give some idea of their surroundings.
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Friends Freedmen's Association Records --http://archives.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/resources/4024frfr