Octavius Catto

**Octavius Valentine Catto** (February 22, 1839 – October 10, 1871) na he be an American educator, intellectual, den civil rights activist. He cam be principal of male students at de Institute for Colored Youth, wer na he sanso be educated. Na dem born am free insyd Charleston, South Carolina, insyd a prominent mixed-race family, na he move north as a boy plus ein family. After he plete ein education, na he go into teaching, wey he cam be active insyd civil rights. Na he sanso cam be known as a top cricket den baseball player insyd 19th-century Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Na he help organize den play give de Philadelphia Pythians baseball team. Na dem shoot den kill am on election-day insyd Philadelphia, wer ethnic Irish of de Democratic Party, wey na dem be anti-Reconstruction wey dem oppose black suffrage, attack black men make dem prevent dema voting.

## Early life

Na dem born Octavius Catto free. Na ein mommie Sarah Isabella Cain be a free member of de city ein prominent mixed-race DeReef family, wich na dem be free for decades wey dem belong to de Brown Fellowship Society, a mark of dema status. Na ein poppie, William T. Catto, be an enslaved millwright insyd South Carolina wey gain ein freedom. Na dem ordain am as a Presbyterian minister before he take ein family north, first to Baltimore, den then to Philadelphia, wer na dem settle insyd de free state of Pennsylvania. Na de state gradually abolish slavery, dey begin before de end of de Revolutionary War.

Na William T. Catto be a founding member of Philadelphia ein Banneker Institute, an African-American intellectual den literary society. Na he wrep "A Semi-Centenary Discourse," a history of de First African Presbyterian Church insyd Philadelphia.

Na Catto begin ein education at Vaux Primary School den then Lombard Grammar School, institutions specifically for de education of African-Americans, insyd Philadelphia. Insyd 1853, na he enter de, otherwise, all-white Allentown Academy insyd Allentown, New Jersey, wey locate across de Delaware River den 40 miles north. Insyd 1854, wen na ein family return to Philadelphia, he cam be a student at dat city ein Institute for Colored Youth (ICY). Managed by de Society of Friends (Quakers), na ICY ein curriculum include de classical study of Latin, Greek, geometry, den trigonometry.

While a student at ICY, na Catto present papers wey na he take part insyd scholarly discussions at "a young men's instruction society". Led by fellow ICY student Jacob C. White Jr., na dem meet weekly at de ICY. Na Catto graduate from ICY insyd 1858, wey na he win praise from principal Ebenezer Bassett for "outstanding scholarly work, great energy, den perseverance insyd school matters." Na Catto do a year of post-graduate study, wey dey include private tutoring insyd both Greek den Latin, insyd Washington, D. C.

## Activism den influence

Insyd 1859, na he return to Philadelphia, wer na dem elect am full member den Recording Secretary of de Banneker Institute. Na dem sanso hire am as teacher of English den mathematics at de ICY.

On May 10, 1864, na Catto deliver ICY ein commencement address, wich na he give a historical synopsis of de school. In addition, na Catto ein address touch on de issue of de potential lack of sensitivity of white teachers toward de needs den interests of African-American students:

*It is at least unjust to allow a blind and ignorant prejudice to so far disregard the choice of parents and the will of the colored tax-payers, as to appoint over colored children white teachers, whose intelligence and success, measured by the fruits of their labors, could neither obtain nor secure for them positions which we know would be more congenial to their tastes.*

Na Catto sanso speak of de Civil War, then in progress. Na he believe dat de United States government for evolve chaw times in order to change. Na he understand dat de change for cam no necessarily be for de benefit of African Americans, buh more for America eim political den industrial welfare. Na dis go be a mutual benefit give all Americans.

... *It is for the purpose of promoting, as far as possible, the preparation of the colored man for the assumption of these new relations with intelligence and with the knowledge which promises success, that the Institute feels called upon at this time to act with more energy and on a broader scale than has heretofore been required.*

On January 2, 1865, for a gathering at de National Hall insyd Philadelphia make dem celebrate de second anniversary of de Emancipation Proclamation, na Catto "deliver a very able address, wey one wey be a credit to de mind den heart of de speaker."

Insyd 1869, na Bassett lef ICY wen na dem appoint am ambassador to Haiti. Na Catto lobby make he succeed Bassett as principal; however, na de ICY board choose Catto ein fellow teacher, Fanny Jackson Coppin, as head of de school. Na dem elect Catto as de principal of de ICY ein male department. Insyd 1870, na Catto join de Franklin Institute, a center for science den education wey na ein white leaders support Catto ein membership despite ein race, in de face of sam opposition. Na Catto serve as principal den teacher at ICY til ein death insyd 1871. Na ein successor insyd de position be Richard Theodore Greener.

## Activist for equal rights

Na de Civil War increase Catto ein activism for abolition den equal rights. Na he join plus Frederick Douglass den oda black leaders make dem form a Recruitment Committee to sign up black men to fight for de Union den emancipation. After de Confederate invasion of Pennsylvania insyd 1863, na Catto help raise a company of black volunteers for de state ein defense; dema help, however, na dem refuse am by de staff of Major General Darius N. Couch on de grounds say na dem no authorize de men make dem fight. (Na Couch be later reprimanded by US Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, buh no be til na de aspiring soldiers return to Philadelphia.) Dey act plus Douglass den de Union League, na Catto help raise eleven regiments of United States Colored Troops insyd de Philadelphia area. Na dem sent dese men to de front wey na chaw see action. Na dem commission Catto as a major insyd de army buh na he never see action.

On Friday, April 21, 1865, at de State House (Independence Hall) insyd Philadelphia, na Catto present de regimental flag to Lieutenant Colonel Trippe, commander of de 24th United States Colored Troops. Na dem report an account of Catto ein presentation speech de day wey dey follow insyd de *Christian Recorder*:

Insyd November 1864, na dem elect Catto make he be de Corresponding Secretary of de Pennsylvania Equal Rights League. Na he sanso serve as Vice Pee of de State Convention of Colored People na dem hold insyd Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, insyd February 1865. (*Liberator* March 3, 1865: 35).

Na Catto fight for de desegregation of Philadelphia ein trolley car system, along plus ein fiancée Caroline LeCount den abolitionist William Still. De May 18, 1865, issue of de *New York Times* run a sstorywey dey discuss de civil disobedience tactics wey Catto employ as na he fight give civil rights:

Na dem hold a meeting of de Union League of Philadelphia insyd Sansom Street Hall on Thursday, June 21, 1866, make e protest den denounce de forcible ejection of chaw black women wey komot Philadelphia ein street cars. At dis meeting, na Catto present de resolutions wey dey follow:

Na Catto ein crusade give equal rights be capped insyd March 1869, wen na Pennsylvania vote make e ratify de 15th Amendment, wich na e prohibit discrimination against citizens insyd registration den voting based on race, color anaa prior condition; effectively, na e provide suffrage to black men. (Na no women then get de vote.) Na dem fully ratify am insyd 1870.

## Sportsman

Na Catto be active no be just insyd de public arenas of education den equal rights, buh sanso on de sporting field. Like chaw oda young men of Philadelphia, both white den black, na Catto begin dey play cricket while insyd school, as na ebe a British tradition. Later na he take up de American sport of baseball. Dey follow de Civil War, na he help establish Philadelphia as a major hub of wat cam be Negro league baseball. Along plus Jacob C. White, Jr., na he run de Pythian Base Ball Club of Philadelphia. Na de Pythians get an undefeated season insyd 1867.

Dey follow de 1867 season, na Catto, plus support from players from de white Athletic Base Ball Club, apply for de Pythians dema admission into de newly formed Pennsylvania Base Ball Association. As na e cam be clear say dem go lose any vote by de Association, dem withdraw dema application. Insyd 1869, na de Pythians challenge various white baseball teams insyd Philadelphia to games. Na de Olympic Ball Club accept de challenge. Na de first match game between black den white baseball teams take place on September 4, 1869, wey dey end insyd de Pythians dema defeat, 44 to 23. (*New York Times*, September 5, 1869)

## Street murder

On Election Day, October 10, 1871, na Catto dey teach insyd Philadelphia. Na fights break out insyd de city between black den white voters, as na de elections be high in tension wey na dem parties reflect racial opposition. Na Black voters, wey na dem mostly be Republican, face intimidation den violence from white voters, especially ethnic Irish, wey na dem be partisans of de city ein Democratic machine. Na Irish immigrants enter de city in great numbers during den after de Great Famine of de 1840s; dem compete plus free blacks for jobs den housing. Na dem call on city police make dem quell de violence. Instead, often na ethnic Irish demaselves, dem exacerbate de problems, dey use dema power make dem prevent black citizens from voting. Na dem later arrest a Lieutenant Haggerty for na he encourage police under ein command to keep African Americans from voting.

On ein way to vote, na Catto intermittently be harassed by whites. Police reports dey indicate na he purchase a revolver for protection. At de intersection of Ninth den South streets, na Catto be accosted by Frank Kelly, an ethnic Irish man, wey shoot am three times. Na Catto die of ein wounds. Na de city inquest no fi be able make dem determine if na Catto pull ein own gun. Na dem no convict Kelly of assault anaa murder.

Na Catto ein military funeral at Lebanon Cemetery insyd Passyunk be well-attended. De murder of Catto, an important leader, den violence thru out de election, couple plus de resurgence of de anti-Reconstruction Democratic Party insyd de city, mark de beginning of a decline insyd black militancy insyd 19th-century Philadelphia. Later, after na dem close down de cemetery, na dem reinter Catto ein remains at Eden Cemetery, insyd Collingdale, Pennsylvania.

## O. V. Catto Memorial

On June 17, 1878, R. W. Wallace, a biographer of Catto, wrep to de *Christian Recorder*, wey dey question why na no bro dey take care of Catto ein grave:

Can you inform me through your paper, why there is no care taken of Prof. O. V. Catto's grave? I have recently been down to the Cemetery and was surprised to see its condition. Thousands of people have asked me about the same thing, and, when I am compelled to say there is no sign of any stone to his grave, while both white and colored stand ready to help in the matter, it is not creditable to us. Something ought to be done in the matter. I believe almost everybody would give something toward getting a stone. I am the publisher of his life, and am prepared to speak in regard to the interest taken by all classes of people. (Wallace 1878)


Sam twenty years later, na de *New York Times* report:

## 21st century memorial campaign

Na dem initiate an annual remembrance ceremony insyd 1995.

On June 14, 2006, na de Board of Trustees of de O. V. Catto Memorial announce de kickoff of a $1.5 million fundraising campaign to erect a memorial statue to Catto. Na de Abraham Lincoln Foundation make de first contribution of $25,000. On October 10, 2007, de 136th anniversary of Catto ein death, na de Octavius V. Catto Memorial Fund erect a headstone at Catto ein burial site at Eden Cemetery insyd Collingdale, Pennsylvania.

On July 26, 2011, to commemorate ein life, na de General Meade Society of Philadelphia participate insyd a wreath-laying ceremony at 6th den Lombard Streets insyd Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Na dem present de first OV Catto award dat year.

To honor de man affectionately na dem call de "19th century Martin Luther King", Mayor Jim Kenney announce on June 10, 2016, dat a new sculpture make dem commemorate Catto den oda leaders go be erected outsyd Philadelphia City Hall.

De sculptural group, *A Quest for Parity*, wey dey include a twelve-foot bronze statue of Catto, dem install at Philadelphia's City Hall on September 24, 2017, wey dem dedicate am on September 26, 2017. Na de sculptor be Branly Cadet. E be de first public monument insyd Philadelphia make e honor a specific African American.

## References


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