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Friends Historical Library collection of manumissions

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Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

A manumission is a formal legal document freeing of one or more enslaved persons from slavery by the enslaver, rather than by government action. As Quakers became convinced that the institution of slavery was contrary to their religious beliefs, Quaker enslavers began releasing their claims to enslaved people. In 1773, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Soceity of Friends made enslaving people a disownable offense.

Source of acquisition--Glassboro State College. Method of acquisition--Purchased from; Date of acquisition--1977.

Source of acquisition--Marietta Hicks. Method of acquisition--Gift of; Date of acquisition--1939.

Source of acquisition--Julien Cornell. Method of acquisition--Gift of; Date of acquisition--1979.

Source of acquisition--Esther and Priscilla Heacock. Method of acquisition--Gift of; Date of acquisition--1942.

Source of acquisition--Eleanor Stabler Brooks, Anna Bunker, and Howard Parker Stabler. Method of acquisition--Gift of; Date of acquisition--1974.

Publisher
Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Access Restrictions

This collection is available for research use.

Collection Inventory

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