Manumissions at Friends Historical Library

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 Society of Friends made enslaving people a disownable offense.

Below is a partial list of manumissions held at the Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. The index below includes manumissions from the following collections:

• Bucks Quarterly Meeting Records (RG2/Ph/B860)
• Chester Monthly Meeting Records (RG2/Ph/C433)
• Chesterfield Monthly Meeting Records (RG2/Ph/C470)
• Collection of manumissions (SC 079)
• Concord Monthly Meeting Records (RG2/Ph/C610)
• Uwchlan Monthly Meeting Records (RG2/Ph/U900)
• Westbury Monthly Meeting Records (RG2/NY/W453)

Additional Friends Historical Library collections with manumissions were not included in this list. Search the Friends Historical Library website to discover other collections with manumissions.