PRINTER'S NO. 3556
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
235
Session of
2022
INTRODUCED BY RABB, BULLOCK, LEE, SCHLOSSBERG, DELLOSO,
D. WILLIAMS, HOHENSTEIN, GUENST, MADDEN, HILL-EVANS,
INNAMORATO AND CIRESI, OCTOBER 17, 2022
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, OCTOBER 17, 2022
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Recognizing and congratulating the Free African Society on the
235th anniversary of its founding in Philadelphia.
WHEREAS, On April 12, 1787, the Free African Society (FAS)
was founded by preachers Richard Allen and Absalom Jones and
other free Black men; and
WHEREAS, FAS was the first Black mutual aid society in
Philadelphia and one of the first such organizations for Black
Americans; and
WHEREAS, Among the founding members were Samuel Baston,
Joseph Johnson, Cato Freedman, Caesar Cranchell, James Potter
and William White; and
WHEREAS, Notable members included Black abolitionists such as
Cyrus Bustill, James Forten and William Gray; and
WHEREAS, The society was originally created to provide
fellowship, a place of worship and monetary support for members
and their families in the case of sickness or death; and
WHEREAS, The society played an important role during the
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yellow fever epidemic of 1793 in Philadelphia, nursing the sick,
burying the deceased and transporting the ill to centers for
treatment; and
WHEREAS, FAS provided comfort and financial aid to the sick
after many White Philadelphians left the city, resulting in the
organization incurring debts that it could not pay back and
disbanding by late 1794; and
WHEREAS, FAS was revived and was responsible for establishing
the first independent Black churches in the United States,
including Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church and the
African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas; and
WHEREAS, Today, the mission of FAS "is to create the
constituency and communion need for the Black African diaspora
in Philadelphia to independently advance their own education,
employment, entrepreneurship, enterprises, and estate across
fields, disciplines, and industries"; and
WHEREAS, The modern FAS continues to positively impact the
Black community in Philadelphia, by providing sponsorships,
mentorships, internships, apprenticeships and education; and
WHEREAS, FAS grounds its work "within the principles of
social innovation and community organizing to spark the change"
that it seeks across the globe; therefore be it
RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the General Assembly
recognize and congratulate the Free African Society on the 235th
anniversary of its founding in Philadelphia; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the General Assembly applaud the society's
investment in bringing together people, skills and resources to
empower the infrastructure of Black industries, institutions and
Pennsylvanians.
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