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"Thoughts on Slavery"

 Collection
Identifier: HC.MC-975-07-071

Scope and Contents

This collection is comprised of the single volume handwritten manuscript of John Parrish's essay, "Thoughts on Slavery," in which Parrish discusses the religious and moral reasons in favor of abolishing slavery in the United States, as well as a short history of slavery in the United States, and the responsibilities of the United States government to those they are oppressing through slavery.

Dates

  • Creation: 1800

Creator

Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research use.

Use Restrictions

Standard Federal Copyright Laws Apply (U.S. Title 17).

Biographical Note

John Parrish (1729-1807) was a Quaker abolitionist and a proponent of Native American rights. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1729 to John Parrish and Elizabeth Roberts. He married Elizabeth Durrant in Philadelphia in 1753. In his adult years, he lived with his wife and daughter in Philadelphia, although as a young man he resided in Maryland. It is also known that he suffered from a stroke in 1807 while in Philadelphia, and is thought to have died as a result.

Parrish is best remembered for authoring "Remarks on the Slavery of the Black People." Published in 1806, Parrish's pamphlet ran to nearly 70 pages and ranged over such issues as Biblical antislavery, constitutional rationales for emancipation, colonization, and African-American political protest. Parrish believed that Americans needed to redouble their antislavery efforts to avert either eternal damnation or massive uprising of the enslaved--or both.

Extent

0.02 linear ft. (1 volume)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

In his essay, "Thoughts on Slavery," John Parrish discusses the religious and moral reasons in favor of abolishing slavery in the United States, as well as a short history of slavery in the United States, and the responsibilities of the United States government to those they are oppressing through slavery.

Acquisition

"Thoughts on Slavery" was donated to Special Collections, Haverford College in 1957 by The Archives and Historical Committee of Merion Friends Meeting, with the cooperation of Reverend Bartholomew Fair, Librarian of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary.

Related Materials

  • HC.MC.975.01.003 David Bacon journal
  • HC.MC.975.01.021 James Emlen journal
  • HC.MC.975.01.061 William Savery diaries
  • HC.MC.975.01.053 John Parrish diaries

Processing Information

Processed by Kara Flynn; completed October, 2015.

Title
"Thoughts on Slavery," 1800
Author
Kara Flynn
Date
October, 2015
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English

Find It at the Library

Most of the materials in this catalog are not digitized and can only be accessed in person. Please see our website for more information about visiting or requesting repoductions from Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections Library

Contact:
370 Lancaster Ave
Haverford PA 19041 USA US