We are excited to introduce you to our latest exhibit Free, As One: Black Worldmaking in the Pennsylvania Abolition Society Papers Opening February 6, 2025 at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
This exhibit challenges long-held myths and offers a fresh perspective on the global anti-slavery movement, highlighting the central role of Black leadership in shaping the fight for freedom.
Discover the Global Movement for Emancipation
A persistent myth in the history of the abolition of slavery is that White people, motivated by altruistic benevolence, were the primary architects of the movement. A more accurate picture is that the volume, persistence, and strategic activities of Black people galvanized supportive White allies to take action.
This exhibit presents a reality rooted in evidence from the Pennsylvania Abolition Society (PAS) papers. Free, As One: Black Worldmaking in the Pennsylvania Abolition Society Papers reveals how Black-led efforts for freedom shaped and catalyzed abolitionist action, driving transformative change in systems of global oppression.
Grounded in Scholarship: Shifting the Narrative
Our academic grounding is the work of scholars like Gerald Horne (The Counter-Revolution of 1776) and Manisha Sinha (The Slave’s Cause) who have shown how enslaved people’s strategic organization to regain freedom was the driving force behind abolitionist movements. The works of Kirsten Sword (Remembering Dinah Nevil: Strategic Deceptions in Eighteenth Century Anti-Slavery) and Mary T. Freeman (Seeking Abolition: Black Letter Writers and the Pennsylvania Abolition Society in the Era of Gradual Emancipation) demonstrate how documents within the Pennsylvania Abolition Society papers make this reality visible.
Most importantly, the exhibit highlights how Black and Brown people, even in the midst of extreme oppression, imagined new futures and created new worlds for themselves. People who seemingly had nothing, envisioned and took action to regain freedom for future generations. This focus on the future—on unity and generational hope—is central to the narrative.
Drawing inspiration from cultural touchstones like Earth, Wind & Fire’s Fantasy, with its refrain, "We all will live love forever, as one”, the exhibit underscores the power of unity and action in building new futures.
Erika Alexander, a native of Philadelphia, captures this spirit perfectly: "For Black peoples the past is painful, the present is precarious, but the future is free! Your future that you’re living in is because Black people imagined it."
Exhibit Themes: Illuminating Black-Led Emancipation
The exhibit is organized into four key themes, each addressing key drivers of Black worldmaking:
For The Global Movement: Black consciousness was inherently global, connecting emancipation efforts across nations. This section features documents like a letter of passage Haitian visionary leader Toussaint L'Ouverture, sending a delegate to an anti-slavery meeting in Philadelphia—a moment that underscores the influence of Haitian leadership on abolitionist strategies.
For All Oppressed People: Abolition was not limited to Black liberation. Early PAS cases, such as Dinah Nevil’s, a Lenni Lenape woman whose case is credited as being the reason for the formation of the early Pennsylvania Abolition Society, reveal how the movement encompassed Indigenous, Asian, and other marginalized groups.
For the Family and Community: Family and community bonds were central drivers of the movement. Stories like that of Pollidore, a free man in 1770 Philadelphia, whose relentless fight to free his wife Rose resulted in his pushing the PAS to raise money for her freedom so that she could stay in Philadelphia. These stories demonstrate the deeply human motivations behind Black-led abolitionist efforts.
This letter reads : The bearer Polidore having obtained from divers well imposed people the greatest part of the money demanded for the freedom of his wife
That met with one that is willing to lay down the remainder on her serving some time for it. Those who have not paid their subscriptions are requested to do it,
That he may obtain a clearance from her present matter. Which he is desirous of doing immediately. That his wife may be fixed in place.
For the Future: The fight for freedom was future-focused, ensuring generational stability and opportunity. We surface stories like that of Amy Reckless, who in 1825 immediately turned to the PAS for legal support after she self-emancipated.
In this case document, dictated to the PAS lawyer, she describes taking a stage coach to freedom. Understanding the legal world of emancipation, she visits the PAS and is sure to legally document the abuse she suffered by her enslaver and his wife. This includes her two front teeth being completely knocked out. Her strategy to leverage legal support clearly shows an understanding of current laws, which communicated a legal boundary to her enslaver, should he try to come after her.
Amy eventually starts using the name 'Hetty' and she uses her freedom to dedicate her life to helping others get free, especially young women. She and Hetty Burr opened a shelter for Black women in 1843. She eventually becomes a key leadership figure in both the Female Anti-Slavery Society and the Female Vigilance Committee.
Why Attend?
This exhibit offers more than a historical recounting; it challenges deeply ingrained myths and uplifts the narratives of those whose voices have been marginalized.
Come and see the actual documents up close.
Join us at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania to explore powerful stories that redefine our understanding of the abolition of slavery as a global, Black-led movement. Through compelling narratives and primary source documents, Free, As One reshapes the lens through which we view history—placing Black agency at the forefront.
Exhibit Details:
Dates: Thursday, February 6 - Friday, May 23
Hours:
Tuesday: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday: 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Thursday: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Friday: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Cost: Free
Location: Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 1300 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Rediscover a history of global resistance, community building, and worldmaking. Register to attend the opening ceremony today!
I would love to know more about who Louverture sent to Philadelphia.
Looking forward to the opening. See you on Feb. 6.