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New York Quakers and
Slavery
Early Voices
Many Friends (Quakers) purchased and traded slaves
This created a conflict between their property rights (own slaves) and their religious beliefs
NY Friends
New York Quakers did not own a large number of slaves
Farmers in Westchester, Long Island and Hudson River valley held slaves, but not in the numbers found in Newport RI, Philadelphia or the W. Indies
NY Opposition
1716 –Horsman Mullenix was first NY Friend to raise issue at the Quarterly meeting
In 1719- London Yearly Meeting instructed Friends to do unto others as they would want done unto them Slave Owners = they fed, clothed and
employed their slaves Antislavery = no one would ever want to be
enslaved
NY Opposition
1759 – NY Meeting decides Friends cannot import slaves – not really an issue since hardly any Friends had imported slaves recently
1767 – Purchase Friends resolve that slavery is “inconsistent with the Christian Spirit.”
1770 – Quakers assist in creation of Free Black settlement – the Hills
Manumission Society
1785 – Formed in NYC by 18 men – 12 of whom were Quakers
Purpose: secure laws to end slavery in NY, monitor compliance with laws (kidnapping and exporting), educating “people of color”, working with other abolitionist organizations
1829- Ten of 13 members were NY Friends
Of the first 454 members during its first 40 years, at least 251 were Friends