A Jennings County, Indiana Quaker silent meeting at the start of the Civil War depicted in the movie “Friendly Persuasion.” I use this footage in a presentation I make on Indiana Quakers and the Underground Railroad.
Quakers believed that no man should own another. In early America, there were some Quakers who owned slaves, but by 1782, a form of "friendly persuasion” was used to convince them to set their slaves free.
• First, there was a visit by other Quakers to persuade them nicely to set their slaves free.
• If this friendly, private visit failed, they took it public, testifying against slave-holding Quakers in open meetings.
• Then, if they remained unconvinced, the slave-owners were partially excluded from the society.
• Finally, if they refused to free their slaves, they were disowned completely.
1 июн 2014
