America's Black Founders: Revolutionary Heroes & Early Leaders with 21 Activities
n 1760 Richard Allen was born Not noticed by the world far away from the royal palace in Eng land not even affected by the talk of freedom and liberty in colonial America the news reached the ears of his mother's master in Philadelphia Pennsyl vania another slave had been born Richard's mother held him close hoping against hope to shield her innocent baby from the harsh real ities of slavery that peculiar institution which sup plied the rich treasures for the king and gave the colonists leisure to pursue their liberties in the New World Yet slavery held no freedom or liberties for the slave As Richard's mother rocked her newborn baby to sleep what thoughts crossed her mind She knew too well of the slave's auction block where babies were torn from their mother's arms and sold away to a different owner never to be seen again Her own father a white colonist had sold her and her mother as if they were cattle As she counted her baby's 10 little fingers and 10 little toes Richard's mother could not count on his future It would have warmed her mother's heart however to know that one day her son would return to Philadelphia the city of his birth to become the greatest and most influential leader of free blacks in the newly formed United States of America He would use his freedom to fight for the liberty and jus
tice of all African Americans both enslaved and free Richard Allen would lead the way He would be the first to forge footsteps and create a path along the trail of freedom for others to follow He would rise up from the pit of slavery to become one of the Black Founders of America The House of Benjamin Chew At the time Richard Allen was born slavery was firmly established throughout the American colonies Allen's father first arrived in Philadelphia Pennsylva nia on a slave ship from the Caribbean He and his wife and children were the property of a Quaker mas ter Benjamin Chew Slavery is a bitter pill Richard Allen When their son Richard was born on February 14 1760 the Philadelphia household of Benjamin Chew was a hub of important political activity Chew was climbing the political ladder in colonial America He was appointed the attorney general of the Prov ince of Pennsylvania from 1755 to 1769 By the time Richard Allen was toddling around his mother's skirts Benjamin Chew lived in an elegant house of the fashionable neighborhood on South Third Street
in Philadelphia Benjamin Chew was a friend of George Washing ton and John Adams Pennsylvania's famous Penn family hired his law services However Chew dis agreed with the political stance of Benjamin Franklin Chew did not support the signing of the Declaration of Independence During his early years in the Chew household Richard Allen probably saw important political figures helped prepare for the flurry of polit ical activities and overheard heated discussions In 1767 there were nearly 1 400 slaves living in the city of Philadelphia This meant that about one out of every five households owned slaves Benjamin Chew’s large family of 10 usually had about 12 work ers in their home at any given time These workers were paid employees indentured servants or slaves These workers probably kept out of sight Break fast was cooked and the table prepared while the Chew family dressed in their bedrooms When the family came in to eat the workers went to the bed rooms to tidy the rooms Positions at the household usually included a coachman maids and menservants a cook a washer woman and a nurse for the children Younger slaves such as Richard helped out in any way they could There were always jobs such as carrying wood for the fireplace stuffing straw in a mattress or helping the sons and daughters of Benjamin
The Slave Mother BY FRANCES ELLEN WATKINS HARPER Heard you that shriek It rose So wildly on the air It seemed as if a burdened heart Was breaking in despair Saw you those hands so sadly clasped The bowed and feeble head The shuddering of that fragile form That look of grief and dread Saw you the sad imploring eye Its every glance was pain As if a storm of agony Were sweeping through the brain She is a mother pale with fear Her boy clings to her side And in her kyrtle vainly tries His trembling form to hide He is not hers although she bore For him a mother's pains He is not hers although her blood Is coursing through his veins He is not hers for cruel hands
