Anthologies of African American Writing

Early Negro Writing, 1760-1837

"Early Negro Writing, 1760-1837" . Comp. Dorothy Porter [= Dorothy Porter Wesley]. Boston: Beacon, 1971. xiii+658 pp.

• Repr. Baltimore: Black Classic P, 1995. xiii+658 pp.

● Introduction

PART I MUTUAL AID AND FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONS, 1792-1833
● “Instituted at Boston” / Laws of the African Society, 1796
● “By a Member of the African Society in Boston” / The Sons of Africans: An Essay on Freedom. With Observations on the Origin of Slavery. 1808
● Constitution and Rules to be Observed and Kept by the Friendly Society of St. Thomas's African Church, of Philadelphia, 1797
● William Hamilton / An Address to the New York African Society, for Mutual Relief, Delivered in the Universalist Church, January 2, 1809
● Constitution of the African Marine Fund, For the Relief of the Distressed Orphans, and Poor Members of this Fund, 1810
● Constitution of the New-York African Clarkson Association, 1825
● Constitution and By-Laws of the Brotherly Union Society, Instituted, April 1833
● Prince Hall / A Charge, Delivered to the Brethen of the African Lodge on the 25th of June, 1792
● Prince Hall / A Charge, Delivered to the African Lodge, June 24, 1797, at Menotomy.

PART II SOCIETIES FOR EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT, 1808-1836
● Constitution of the African Benevolent Society, 1808
● Prince Saunders / An Address, Delivered at Bethel Church, Philadelphia; on the 30th of September, 1818. Before the Pennsylvania Augustine Society, for the Education of People of Colour. To Which is Annexed the Constitution of the Society, 1818
● William Hamilton / An Oration Delivered in the African Zion Church, on the Fourth of July, 1827, in Commemoration of the Abolition of Domestic Slavery in this State, 1827.
● William Whipper / An Address Delivered in Wesley Church on the Evening of June 12, before the Colored Reading Society of Philadelphia, for Mental Improvement, 1828
● Anon / Preamble and Constitution of the Pittsburgh African Education Society, 1832
● “Signed L.H.” / Duty of Females, 1832
● Address to the Female Literary Association of Philadelphia, May 1832
● Maria W. Stewart / An Address Delivered at the African Masonic Hall, Boston, February 27, 1833
● Maria W. Stewart / A Lecture at the Franklin Hall, Boston, September 21, 1832
● Anon / Address and Constitution of the Phoenix Society of New York and of the Auxiliary Ward Associations. 1833.
● Joseph M. Corr / Address Delivered Before the Humane Mechanics' Society, on the 4th of July, 1834
● William Watkins / Address Delivered before the Moral Reform Society in Philadelphia, August 8, 1836.

PART III SIGNIFICANT ANNUAL CONFERENCES, 1808-1836
● Constitution of the American Society of Free Persons of Colour, for improving Their Condition in the United States; For Purchasing Lands; and for the Establishment of a Settlement in Upper Canada. Also the Proceedings of the Convention, With Their Address to the Free Persons of Colour in the United States, 1831
● Minutes of the Four Last Annual Conferences of the African Methodist Episcopal Church; held at Pittsburg, (Pa.) Washington (DC), Philadelphia, and New York, 1833-4
● “Contains Speeches by William J. Whipper, James Forten, Jr., and John F. Cook” / The Minutes and Proceedings of the First Annual Meeting of the American Moral Reform Society, Held at Philadelphia, In the Presbyterian Church in Seventh Street, below Shippin, from the 14th to the 19th of August, 1837.

PART IV TO EMIGRATE OR REMAIN AT HOME? 1773-1833
● “Signed by Peter Bestes, Sambo Freeman, Felix Holdbrook, and Chester Joie”
/ Petition Addressed to the Representatives of the Town of Thompson, April 20, 1773.
● Paul Cuffee / A Brief Account of the Settlement and Present Situation of the Colony of Sierra Leone, in Africa, 1812
● James Forten and Russell Parrott / To the Humane and Benevolent Inhabitants of the City and County of Philadelphia, Address delivered August 10, 1817
● Prince Saunders / A Memoir Presented to the American Convention for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery, and Improving the Condition of the African Race, December 11, 1818
● Thomas Paul / Letter Relative to Conditions in Hayti, July 1, 1824. Written to the Editor of the Columbian Sentinel.
● “Signed by Samuel Ennals and Philip Bell” / Resolutions of the People of Color, at a Meeting held on the 25th of January, 1831. With an address to the Citizens of New York, 1831. In answer to Those of the New York Colonization Society. Signed by Samuel Ennals and Philip Bell
● Speech of Nathaniel Paul delivered at the Anti-Colonization Meeting, London, 1833
● “By a Colored Female of Philadelphia” / Emigration to Mexico, 1832
● Peter Williams / A Discourse Delivered in St. Philips' Church for the Benefit of the Coloured Community of Wilberforce in Upper Canada, on the Fourth of July, 1830
● “Signed, A South Carolinian” / Opinions of a Freeman of Colour in Charleston, 1832.

PART V SPOKESMEN IN BEHALF OF THEIR “COLORED FELLOW CITIZENS”, 1787-1815
● Jupiter Hammon / An Address to the Negroes in the State of New York, 1787
● Benjamin Banneker / Copy of a Letter from Benjamin Babbejerm To the Secretary of State, With his answer, 1972.
● “Signed by Absalom Jones and Others” / The Petition of the People of Colour, Free Men, WIthin the City and Suburbs of Philadelphia. To The President, Senate, and House of Representatives, December 30, 1799.
● James Forten / Letter Addressed to the Honourable George Thatcher, Member of Congress, 1799.
● Absalom Jones / A Thanksgiving Sermon, Preached January 1, 1808, In St. Thomas's or, The African Episcopal Church, Philadelphia: On Account of the Abolition of the African Salve Trade, on That Day, By the Congress of the United States, 1808.
● Peter Williams / An Oration on the Abolition of the Slave Trade: Delivered in the African Church, in The City of New York, January 1, 1808. With an Introductory Essay by Henry Sipkins.
● Joseph Sidney / An Oration Commemorative of the Abolition of the Slave Trade; Delivered Before the Wilberforce Philanthropic Association, in the City of New York, on the Second of January, 1809.
● Henry Sipkins / An Oration on the Abolition of the Slave Trade; Delivered in The African Church, in the City of New York, January 2, 1809. With an Introductory Address by Henry Johnson.
● George Lawrence / Oration on the Abolition of the Slave Trade, Delivered on the First Day of January, 1813, in The African Methodist Episcopal Church, 1813. With an Address by Peter Malachi Eagans.
● Russell Parrott / An Oration on the Abolition of the Slave Trade Delivered on the First of January, 1814, at the African Church of St. Thomas.
● William Hamilton / An Oration, on the Abolition of the Slave Trade, Delivered in the Episcopal Asbury African Church, in Elizabeth St., New York, January 2, 1815

PART VI SAINTS AND SINNERS, 1786-1836
● The Life and Confession of Johnson Green, who is To be Executed This Day, August 17th, 1786, for the Atrocious Crime of Burglary; Together With His Last and Dying Worlds. A Broadside
● Confessions of John Joyce, alias Davis, Who was Executed on Monday, the 14th of March, 1808 for the murder of Mrs. Sarah Cross; with an address to the Public and People of Colour by Richard Allen, Together with the Substance of the Trial and the Address of Chief Justice Tilghman, on his Condemnation
● John Marrant / A Narrative of the Lord's Wonderful Dealings with John Marrant, a Black, 1802
● Lemuel Haynes / Universal Salvation: A Very Ancient Doctrine: With Some Account of the Life and Character of its Author. A Sermon Delivered at Rutland, West Parish in the Year 1805.
● John Stewart / An Address to the Wyandott Nation and Accompanying Letter to William Walker, dated May 25, 1817.
● Maria Stewart / Religion and the Pure Principles of Morality. The Sure Foundation on Which We Must Build, October 1831.
● Theodore Wright / A Pastoral Letter, Addressed to the Colored Presbyterian Church in the city of New York, June 20th, 1832.
● David Ruggles / The Abrogation of the Seventh Commandment, by the American Churches, 1835. Signed-A Puritan.
● Jarena Lee / Life of Jarena Lee, 1836.

7 / PART VII NARRATIVES, POEMS AND ESSAYS, 1760-1835
● A Narrative of the Uncommon Sufferings and Surprizing Deliverance of Briton Hammon, Negro Man, Servant to General Winslow, of Marshfield, in New England, 1760.
● Jupiter Hammon / An Evening Thought, Salvation by Christ, With Penetential Cries, 1760. A Broadside.
● Phillis Wheatley / An Elegiac Poem on the Death of That Celebrated Divine, and Eminent Servant of Jesus Christ, the Late Reverend, and Pious George Whitefield, 1770. A Broadside.
● Jupiter Hammon / An Address to Miss Phillis Wheatley, Ethiopian Poetess in Boston ... 1778. A Broadside.
● Venture Smith / A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture, A Native of Africa: But Resident Above Sixty Years in the United States of America. 1798.
● Richard Allen / Spiritual Song. n.d.
● Michael Fortune, Robert Y. Sidney, Peter Williams, and William Hamilton / Anthems and Hymns, 1808-1814.
● Essay-To the American Convention for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery, 1828
● George R. Allen / Poem- On Slavery, 1828.
● Thomas S. Sidney / Poem-On Freedom, 1828.
● Isaiah G. De Grass / Essay, 1828
● George Moses Horton / Selections from The Hope of Liberty, 1829.
● A Narrative of Some Remarkable Incidents, In the Life of Solomon Bayley, 1825
● William Paul Quinn / The Origin, Horrors, and Results of Slavery, 1834.
● David Ruggles / Appeal to the Colored Citizens of New York and Elsewhere in Behalf of the Press, 1835.

● Index of Authors

• n/a

• One of the fullest presentations of early African American writing (Kinnamon 1997: 466).

original ed.: Kinnamon 1997: 466]

A0160