The Philadelphia Black Metropolis of 1838

The Historical Society of Pennsylvania has worked with the Black Docent Collective to digitize the 1838 Census of the Free Black community taken by the Pennsylvania Abolition Society. This census revealed a city within a city - the Black Metropolis. It documented almost 19,000 free Black people who created 16 churches, 23 public and private schools, 80 beneficial societies, 300 Black-owned businesses and possessed over $40,000,000 in wealth. This incredible genealogical resource connects names of families to location and rich familial data including questions about wealth, real estate, education, manumission, social networks, and occupations. Now these statistics are available to you. Hear about the stories that historians Michiko Quinones and Morgan Lloyd of the Black Docent Collective have uncovered. Their work to quantify, tabulate, and share these stories will help you search for your family and neighborhood histories. You will also gain an understanding of this pivotal time in Philadelphia’s history.

[@realgenius6311]

Philly history with good sources for research

[@JA51711]

Interesting. The statistics in the beginning of this presentation are pre- Civil War. I found Black history prevalent in northeastern Pennsylvania and the family was always free, never enslaved from what was researched and a well to do landowner. Not all Black Americans were enslaved and then set free and this is in no way to belittle those that were enslaved and the horrors that they endured. This is very important research it needs to be continued. Excellent job!!! It is not fair for anyone to have to pay to become free and there were also not only black individuals but there are white as well they had to pay off and service in order to become freed. Very good point made and the proof is in that column. It is true that the beauty is to get the truth out and how wonderful that all those churches have so much data for families to reconnect. Listening to the occupations is wonderful and it creates a picture in one's mind of a functioning society and one of very skilled people. Excellent suggested sources for people to research their family lineage.

[@kevan510]

Love it. Great work

[@compo1948]

2500

[@krishnakhatri2427]