An Act of Courage by A State: The Pennsylvania Gradual Abolition Act of 1780
The Pennsylvania Gradual Abolition Act, passed on March 1, 1780, marked the beginning of the end of slavery in the Northern states. While The Act did not abolish slavery overnight, it set Pennsylvania on a path toward eventual abolition, while at the same time, the law pushed other Northern states to move against the abhorrent practice of enslaving other human beings.
The Underground Railroad in Chester County – A Landscape of Resistance
According to author William Switala, “no other county in Pennsylvania had as complex a system of Underground Railroad escape routes as Chester County. There were dozens of stations and agents and the county, though not large in size, contained many routes and sub-routes. Freedom seekers entered the county from York and Lancaster Counties, as well as directly from Maryland and Delaware. Leaving the county, they headed to Berks, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties, and to Philadelphia.”
Harriet Tubman’s Travels in Chester County
“When I found I had crossed that line, I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person. There was such a glory over everything; the sun came like gold through trees, and over the fields, and I felt like I was in Heaven.” I had crossed the line. I was free; but there was no one to welcome me to the land of freedom. I was a stranger in a strange land. My home, after all, was down in Maryland, because my father, my mother, my brothers, and sisters, and friends were there. But I was free, and they should be free.”
The Fate of African Americans
The narrative of African Americans’ struggle for freedom in 19th-century America is one of courage, determination, and unwavering resistance against oppressive systems. The Christiana Riot, Marlborough Meeting Riot, Harriet Sheppard’s Escape, and other pivotal events in Chester County highlight the relentless fight against slavery and the pursuit of liberty. These stories, woven together, form a tapestry of heroism and resilience, showcasing the indomitable spirit of those who dared to defy injustice.
Escapes from Bondage
The mid-19th century, a time shadowed by the cruel institution of enslavement in the United States, bore witness to a series of harrowing escapes that illuminate the indomitable spirit of enslaved individuals. The actions of people such as Isaac Mason, Mary the Slave Girl, and Rachel and Elizabeth Parker were not just fights for freedom but acts of resistance against an oppressive system.
African American Abolitionists
Chester County had a strong network of African American abolitionists who provided sanctuary for freedom seekers, while also challenging the moral conscience of the nation to significantly impact the ultimate abolition of slavery. They worked within the Underground Railroad network and within the larger community in a number of different ways. At times they worked collaboratively alongside Quakers and other antislavery advocates to forge interracial alliances. Many others worked independently within their own network of African American churches and safe houses, while still others spoke out publicly against slavery and oppression. All of these courageous acts speak to the power of collective action and grassroots resistance in the face of systemic injustice.
Free African American Communities and Their Churches
Chester County’s African American communities, including the New Garden section of Kennett Square, Hinsonville (now part of Lincoln University), Ercildoun, Bucktoe, and others were among the earliest free Black settlements in the United States. These communities, established at a time when enslavement was rampant in other parts of America and all African Americans at risk in Pennsylvania, made their existence a social achievement. These villages of free African Americans were characterized by their strong sense of autonomy, resilience in the face of adversity, and a deep commitment to education and self-improvement.
Quaker and Other Abolitionists
Members of the Society of Friends, persecuted in Britain since their founding in the early 1650s, settled in Pennsylvania starting in 1681, when William Penn was granted the charter for the colony. Moving beyond their religious beliefs that taught equality and nonviolence, they became publicly vocal against the institution of slavery and the first to protest against it in Germantown, Pennsylvania in 1688. Even though it took another hundred years to establish the Chester County Abolition Society in 1789, they had already begun developing a network of safe houses and secret routes to aid freedom seekers on what would become the Underground Railroad.
Regional Abolition Actions
Much of the regional activity surrounding abolition and freedom seekers occurred in Philadelphia. With so many of the freedom seekers being sent there from Chester County, residents there clearly understood the horrors that being enslaved entailed.
Founded in 1775, the Pennsylvania Abolition Society (PAS) was one of the oldest anti-slavery societies in America. Initially focused on the gradual abolition of slavery in Pennsylvania, the Society’s influence soon spread beyond state lines. Its work ranged from legal advocacy for the rights of African Americans to the direct assistance of freedom seekers.
Explore Key Locations on the Underground Railroad in Chester County
Strategically located near the Mason-Dixon Line, Chester County at the time with rolling hills and thick woodlands, became a natural gateway for freedom seekers traveling under the cover of night. Yet, it was the moral geography of the county, shaped by a strong Quaker presence and a fervent abolitionist spirit of free African American communities with residents and freedom seekers who wanted the same liberties as their brethren, that truly defined Chester County’s role in the Underground Railroad.