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DALL·E 2023-07-20 11.57.27 - impressionist oil painting of a group of black women meeting
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Rare Historical Documents

During our research we often come across rare historical documents about Black Philadelphia history.  We want the public to know about these documents and to love and enjoy them as much as we do. 

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APPRECIATIONS AND CITATIONS

APPRECIATIONS

We are appreciative to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania for permission to show Daughters of Africa Bylaws. 

 

To cite this work please use the following language:
Constitution and Bye Laws of the Beneficial Society of the Daughters of Africa. Philadelphia: Printed for the society, 1831. Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 
 

We are appreciative to the Dr. Emma Lapsansky-Werner for permission to show Before the Model City; A Historical Exploration of North Philadelphia.  


To cite this work please use the following language.
Lapsansky-Werner, Emma J. Before the Model City : an Historical Exploration of North Philadelphia. Historical Commission, 1968.

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We are appreciative to the Library Company of Philadelphia for The Banneker Institute Pamphlet.

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To Cite this work please use the following language:

The celebration of the eighty-third anniversary of the Declaration of American Independence, by the Banneker Institute. : Philadelphia, July 4th, 1859.. - Philadelphia: : W.S. Young, printer, 52 N. Sixth Street., 1859.. PA. Philadelphia.  The Library Company of Philadelphia. 

BEFORE THE MODEL CITY​
By Dr. Emma Lapsansky-Werner
A study of the 18th and 19th Century Black History of North Philadelphia written in 1968. 
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DAUGHTERS OF AFRICA
BY LAWS
Founded in 1825 and Incorporated in 1831, the Daughters of Africa was a Beneficial Society for Single and Widowed Black Women. 
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The Celebration of the Eighty Third Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence by the Banneker Institute
Courtesy The Library Company of Philadelphia
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CHARTER BOOKS 
1812-1875
Digitized Collection of All Beneficial Society Charters and By Laws
Use this Finding Aid - Scroll down to 'CORPORATION BUREAU'
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THE KIDNAPPED AND THE RANSOMED
The incredible story of Peter Still, William Still's Brother
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This story brings in many fo the themes we discuss here at 1838 Black Metropolis..  In particular,  all of the emotions, encounters, ups and downs in the journey of Freedom Seekers as they arrive in Philadelphia.  In this story we see Black community organization and support for freedom seekers in action with Eliza Ann Bias and William Still.  We get a glipse of the regional Black nation as Peter travels to New Jersey to visit his family.  We can almost hear the street scene as Peter first gains his bearings in the Black Metropolis. 

 

We encourage you to read chapters 28 and 29 (starting at page 242).  And bring tissue as you learn how Peter meets his mother who thought she had lost him, but prayed every day to see him again.

 

Additional Notes:

This digitized book was orginally part of Robert Adgar's collection, which is now at Wellesley College.  Adgar was one of the founding members of the American Negro Historical Society, founded in 1897 in Philadelphia specifically to preserve the history that is on this website.  We are happy to have Adgar back in his proverbial and metaphorical home. 

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There is a forward from William Furness.  William Furness was a white Unitarian preacher and anti-slavery advocate who organized Freedom Seeker support from First Unitarian church that was at the corner of 10th and Locust. His son is the Philly famous architect Frank Furness. 

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