I just found out about this book, and I am certainly going to read it.
Fit for Freedom, Not for Friendship written by McDaniel and Julye, two Quaker women.
The subject of their book is an examination of attitudes and actual practices amongst Quakers, of two centuries past, regarding the myths of their racial enlightenment, and the actual practice of their stated egalitarian beliefs.
here in Queens (NY) Quaker meeting houses, and homes of Quakers are closely associated with the underground rail road..(tunnels connecting homes and meeting house were discovered in the 1930's, as were hiding 'holes', secret rooms and stair cases (specifically John Bowne's home in Flushing.)
ReplyDeletebut local black neighborhoods are always a few miles away from any meeting house.
the famous (18 c. wood framed meeting house in flushing) is 3 miles away from the long existing black community--one that dates to the 1840's/50's (and 150 years later, is still largely black homeowners)
the also old community (but rebuild meeting house) in Manhasset (the quaker community dates to the 1660's,) is about 3 miles away from the piney (pinny) hill black community..)
The local quaker's often worked hard to help run away slaves, and even to rescue slaves.. but they didn't want them to settle mear them.. (and they were 'resettled' in the worst local land.. (2 or 3 miles distant.)
the same happened in nantucket..
and sag harbor--Whalimg communities offered escape slaves a way to hide (after dred scott, most escaped slaves needed to get 'lost' and whaling ship were a safe haven--the put the escapee out of reach of slave catchers) and allowed them build up a nest egg--but back from their 2 or more years at sea, with their wages in hand, the blacks were usually not permitted to buy homes in town, and they were not welcome at quaker meeting houses or schools.
Still, the quakers were alone in hiring blacks (escaped slaves) as crew for whaling ships, and they paid black crew equal to other crew... from an internal view, the behavior was perhaps less than perfect, but an escaped slave who found his or her way to a quaker meeting house or the home of quaker, was more likely to be successful in their escape.
to save one life, is as if you saved the world... and quakers saved many lives. So they weren't perfect...
I don't know much about other communities (in other parts of the country,) but here in NYC, and on LI, the quakers had a profound influence--and their history is local and well known history.
Thank you so much for those historical notes, Of Troy. And yes, the Quakers whole heartedly tried to save runaway slaves and did save many.
ReplyDeleteI found the book featured in a Quaker forum in Ravelry and didn't want to pass up the chance to give it a plug here. I think truth is powerful, and something to support. I'm still proud of the efforts of the many 18th and 19th century Quakers who supported and spread the principles of the Abolitionist movement.
Thank you for your wonderful comments.