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| | Pittsburgh African
Education Society minutes
1832
Cited in Dorothy Porter, ed.
EARLY NEGRO WRITING, 1760-1837. (Baltimore: Black Classic Press, 1995.) |
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As more and more blacks became free during the early
nineteenth century, freed people, often with the support of the church,
organized education societies throughout the Northern States. In mission
statements and constitutions like the one formulated by the Pittsburgh
African Education Society, founding members expressed a belief that
education was the path to black equality.
At a meeting of the colored people of the city and vicinity of
Pittsburgh, convened at the African Church, on the evening of the 16th
Jan. 1832-J.B. Vashon was appointed Chairman, and Lewis Woodson,
Secretary.
The object of the meeting being stated by the chairman-after some
further deliberation, the following Preamble and Constitution were
adopted:
PREAMBLE
WHEREAS, ignorance in all ages has been found to debase the human mind,
and to subject its votaries to the lowest vices, and most abject
depravity-and it must be admitted, that ignorance is the sole cause of
the present degradation and bondage of the people of color in these
United States-that the intellectual capacity of the black man is equal
to that of the white, and that he is equally susceptible of improvement,
all ancient history makes manifest; and, even modern examples put
beyond a single doubt.
WE, THEREFORE, the people of color, of the city and vicinity of
Pittsburgh, and State of Pennsylvania, for the purpose of dispersing the
moral gloom that has so long hung around us, have, under Almighty God,
associated ourselves together, which association shall be known by the
name of the Pittsburgh African Education Society, which shall have for
the direction of its government the following
CONSTITUTION ...
Recorded in Dorothy Porter, ed. Early Negro Writing 1760-1837.
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