The Vigilant Association of Philadelphia was an

abolitionist Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the political movement to end slavery and liberate enslaved individuals around the world. The first country to fully outlaw slavery was Kingdom of France, France in 1315, but it was later used ...

organization founded in August 1837 in

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

to "create a fund to aid colored persons in distress". The initial impetus came from Robert Purvis, who had served on a previous ''Committee of Twelve'' in 1834, and his father-in-law, businessman

James Forten James Forten (September 2, 1766March 4, 1842) was an American Abolitionism in the United States, abolitionist and businessman in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A free-born African American, he became a sailmaker after the American Revolutionary War. ...

. Up and running by 1838, the committee had begun to break down in 1852.

William Still William Still (October 7, 1819 – July 14, 1902) was an African-American abolitionist based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a conductor of the Underground Railroad and was responsible for aiding and assisting at least 649 slaves to freedom ...

was an important conductor along the railroad and a founder of the vigilance committee in Philadelphia.

History

Its executive was the Vigilant Committee of Philadelphia and its first president was a black dentist, James McCrummell. Other abolitionists who helped included

John Greenleaf Whittier John Greenleaf Whittier (December 17, 1807 – September 7, 1892) was an American Quaker poet and advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States. Frequently listed as one of the fireside poets, he was influenced by the Scottish poet ...

, who helped form the committee and promoted the association in his newspaper '' Pennsylvania Freeman''. There were five members of the acting committee for the Vigilant Association of Philadelphia, which included

Nathaniel W. Depee Nathaniel W. Depee (1812 – June 19, 1868) was an American activist, abolitionist, and merchant tailor. He was active in the Underground Railroad, and in Black politics in Philadelphia in the 1830s through 1860s. Biography Nathaniel W. Depee w ...

, Jacob C. White,

Passmore Williamson Passmore Williamson (February 23, 1822 – February 1, 1895) was an American abolitionist and businessman in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a free state in the antebellum years. As secretary of the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society and a member of i ...

, and Charles Wise. In June 1842, future writer

Harriet Jacobs Harriet Jacobs (1813 or 1815 – March 7, 1897) was an African-American Abolitionism in the United States, abolitionist and writer whose autobiography, ''Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl'', published in 1861 under the pseudonym Linda Bre ...

was among the fugitive slaves who were aided by the Association.Jean Fagan Yellin: ''Harriet Jacobs. A Life.'' New York 2004, p. 66.

References

Citations

Sources

* *

External links

Historical records of Philadelphia Vigilant Association
held at the

Historical Society of Pennsylvania The Historical Society of Pennsylvania is a historic research facility headquartered on Locust Street in Center City Philadelphia. It is a repository for millions of historic items ranging across rare books, scholarly monographs, family chron ...

African-American history in Philadelphia American abolitionist organizations Organizations based in Philadelphia Underground Railroad in Pennsylvania 19th century in Philadelphia {{Philadelphia-stub

History

See also

References

Citations

Sources

External links