Title: But One Race
Description: "Born in South Carolina to a wealthy white father and mixed race mother, Robert Purvis (1810-1898) was one of the nineteenth century's leading black abolitionists and orators. In this first biography of Purvis, Margaret Hope Bacon uses his eloquent and often fierce speeches to provide a glimpse into the life of a passionate and distinguished man, intimately involved with a wide range of major reform movements, including abolition, civil rights, Underground Railroad activism, women's rights, Irish Home Rule, Native American rights, and prison reform. Citing his role in developing the Philadelphia Vigilant Committee, an all black organization that helped escaped slaves secure passage to the North, the New York Times described Purvis at the time of his death as the president of the Underground Railroad. Voicing his opposition to a decision by the state of Pennsylvania to disenfranchise black voters in 1838, Purvis declared "there is but one race, the human race." But One Race is the dramatic story of one of the most important figures of his time."--Jacket.
Subjects: Abolitionists, African American abolitionists, African American civil rights workers, African Americans, Antislavery movements, Biography, History, Race relations, African americans, civil rights, Civil rights workers, African americans, pennsylvania, philadelphia, African americans, biography, Antislavery movements, united states, Philadelphia (pa.), biography, United states, race relations, Philadelphia (pa.), history
Places: Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Philadelphia (Pa.), United States
People: Robert Purvis (1810-1898)
Time periods: 19th century