The Journal of Negro History, Volume 1, January 1916Various
History
The Journal of Negro History, Volume 1, January 1916
Various
African Americans -- Periodicals
"'I purchased for myself 190 acres of land, to establish a manual
labor school for colored boys. I had sustained a school on it, at my
own expense, till the 11th of November, 1842. Being in Philadelphia
the winter before, I became acquainted with the trustees of the late
Samuel Emlen, of New Jersey, a Friend. He left by his will $20,000,
for the "support and education in school learning and the mechanics
arts and agriculture, such colored boys, of African and Indian
descent, whose parents would give them up to the institute." We
united our means and they purchased my farm, and appointed me the
superintendent of the establishment, which they call the Emlen
Institute.'
"In 1846, Judge Leigh, of Virginia, purchased 3,200 acres of land in
this settlement, for the freed slaves of John Randolph, of Roanoke.
These arrived in the summer of 1846, to the number of about 400, but
were forcibly prevented from making a settlement by a portion of the
inhabitants of the county. Since then, acts of hostility have been
commenced against the people of this settlement, and threats of greater
held out, if they do not abandon their lands and homes."--Howe's
"Historical Collections of Ohio," pp. 355-356.
Coming to Shelby county the same historian did not fail to mention a
settlement of prosperous Negroes who were keeping pace with their white
neighbors.
"In Van Buren township is a settlement of COLORED people, numbering
about 400. They constitute half the population of the township, and are
as prosperous as their white neighbors. Neither are they behind them in
religion, morals and intelligence, having churches and schools of their
own. Their location, however, is not a good one, the land being too flat
and wet. An attempt was made in July, 1846, to colonize with them 385 of
the emancipated slaves of the celebrated John Randolph, of Va., after
they were driven from Mercer county; but a considerable party of whites
would not willingly permit it, and they were scattered by families among
the people of Shelby and Miami who were willing to take them."--Howe's
"Historical Collections of Ohio," pp. 465-466.
This effort at colonizing so many Negroes in the State of Ohio led to much
discussion. There arose an anti-free Negro party which sounded the alarm
against such philanthropy and undertook to frighten all blacks away. The
sentiment of such alarmists may be obtained from the following:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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