Vigilant Association of Philadelphia

The Vigilant Association of Philadelphia was an abolitionist organization founded in August 1837 in Philadelphia 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.[1][2]

Founder Robert Purvis in the 1840s
Co-founder James Forten

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, who helped form the committee and promoted the association in his newspaper Pennsylvania Freeman.[1][2]

In June 1842, future writer Harriet Jacobs was among the fugitive slaves who were aided by the Association.[3]

References

Citations
  1. Boromé 1968.
  2. Tomek 2015.
  3. Jean Fagan Yellin: Harriet Jacobs. A Life. New York 2004, p. 66.

Sources
  • Boromé, Joseph (1968), "The Vigilant Committee of Philadelphia", Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Vol. 92 (3): 320–351, JSTOR 20090197
  • Tomek, Beverly C. (2015), "Vigilance Committees", The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia, Rutgers University
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