Philadelphia Yearly Meeting

of the Religious Society of Friends

History

Friends Historical Association tour of Museum of the American Revolution

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The Museum of the American Revolution’s special exhibition Black Founders: The Forten Family of Philadelphia, introduces visitors to Forten and his descendants as they navigated the American Revolution and cross-racial relationships in Philadelphia to become leaders in the abolition movement in the lead-up to the Civil War and the women’s suffrage movement.

The Forten family has deep ties to the Quaker community, from James Forten’s attendance at Anthony Benezet’s school, his wife and daughters’ roles in co-founding the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society with Lucretia Mott and other Quakers, and more.

The Friends Historical Association invites you to join us any or all of the day’s program for our Spring Outing on Sunday, May 7, 2023.

World War 2 Veteran: From Prisoner of War to Pacifist

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  • 10:00 Silent Worship
  • 11:00 Discussion: War & Pacifism with George Rubin
  • 12:00 Community Potluck

Quaker pacifist and World War 2 prisoner of war George Rubin will talk to us about creating a world without war.

George Rubin is a member of Medford Meeting, a retired podiatrist, and has served as clerk for New York Yearly Meeting, Medford Meeting, and American Friends Service Committee’s New York regional office. He writes for the Medford Leas literary publication, is active with many Quaker organizations, and enjoys working with youth.

New Friends Historical Association Grants

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The Friends Historical Association is pleased to offer funding to support contributions to the field of Quaker history. There are three grant opportunities: project support, publication subventions, and research funds. All opportunities run on the same cycle, and applications are due April 15, 2023.

Details about each opportunity and application instruction are provided at https://www.quakerhistory.org/grants.

The Vegetarian Legacy of Benjamin Lay

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Join us at Arch Street Meeting House on Friday, May 12th, from 5:30 to 7 pm for The Vegetarian Legacy of Benjamin Lay, presented by Vance Lehmkuhl of the American Vegan Center.

Benjamin Lay was scorned and laughed at during his life for his stubborn, relentless advocacy for the abolition of slavery from as early as 1732, and he spent nearly two centuries as a nearly-forgotten footnote to history. Thanks to Marcus Rediker’s 2017 biography The Fearless Benjamin Lay (now optioned for a major motion picture!), more Americans are starting to learn and appreciate how his anti-slavery activism reverberated through U.S. history, up to and beyond the US civil war. But his vegetarianism, which for Lay was cut from the same cloth as his abolitionism, also impacted American history.

We will look at how his influence was borne out in the lives of US vegetarians such as Anthony Benezet, John Woolman, Joshua Evans, Stephen Grellet, Sarah & Angelina Grimke, Bronson Alcott, and Dr. William Alcott, the first president of the American Vegetarian Society.

Vance Lehmkuhl

Vance Lehmkuhl runs the veg history tour program at the American Vegan Center, offering pre-scheduled and custom walking tours around Old City. He is the author of Eating Vegan in Philly (2016) and V for Veg: The Best of Philly’s Vegan Food Column (2016), both from Sullivan Street Press. He spent years as the vegan columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News and, prior to that, as the political cartoonist for Philadelphia City Paper, for which he was named Best of Philly by Philadelphia Magazine. He also founded the eco-pop band Green Beings, whose novelty patter song “Leftovers” has been heard many times on Dr. Demento’s radio show. Vance is passionate about three things: Helping acquaint people with Philadelphia’s amazing veg history; his wife, Cynthia Way; and the symphonies of Joseph Haydn.

ASMH Annual Spring Kickoff: Penman of the Revolution

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The annual William Penn Lecture is back and better than ever!

Join us at Arch Street Meeting House on Thursday, March 23rd for the newly reimagined “Annual Spring Kickoff” to celebrate our reopening for the Spring season. The evening includes a cocktail hour and presentation by John Dickinson, portrayed by friend of Arch Street Meeting House Preservation Trust, Doug Thomas.

REGISTER

RSVP is required by March 13th, 2023.

Join the “Penman of the Revolution” as he discusses his role in the journey that took us from colonies to country. John Dickinson used his wit, intellect, and faith to guide his actions as one of our lesser-known Founding Fathers. Although he refused to vote for the Declaration of Independence, he was instrumental in the creation of our national government and drafted many of our founding documents, including the First Amendment.

This public devotion caused Thomas Jefferson to eulogize him, saying: “A more estimable man, or truer patriot, could not have left us. Among the first of the advocates for the rights of his country when assailed by Great Britain, he continued to the last the orthodox advocate of the true principles of our new government and his name will be consecrated in history as one of the great worthies of the revolution.”

Support for this program provided by Friends Fiduciary.

Resistance To The Vietnam War

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Three members of Haddonfield Friends Meeting will reflect on their actions in opposition to the Vietnam War including tax resistance, conscientious objection, and help for draft resisters traveling to Canada.

While members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) believe in upholding the rule of law, there are times when they engage in nonviolent civil disobedience to bear witness to injustice – knowing that there may be deep personal or legal consequences for taking these actions.

This will be a hybrid event.  To receive a link for zoom, please pre-register at: https://www.southjerseyquakers.org/vietnam-resist/

Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections 2023-2024 Research Fellowships

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Quaker & Special Collections at Haverford College is now accepting applications for its 2023-2024 Fellowship programs. These Fellowships provide funding for scholars at any stage of their careers to engage with our unique materials. [Read more…] about Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections 2023-2024 Research Fellowships

Quakers in Education: Nitobe Inazo, Elizabeth Gray Vining, and Joseph Wharton

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This is the second in a series of articles about Quakers who’ve impacted the fields of education and contributed to global scientific, medical, political, or economic leadership. The first article was published on September 23 and covered Elise Goulding, Ezra Cornell, and Johns Hopkins.

Nitobe Inazo (1862-1933) was a Japanese Quaker who became the first Under Secretary General for the League of Nations. Nitobe was born into a samurai family on Honshu, the main island of Japan. While in college, he became a Christian and later a Friend. In 1884, He moved to the US for post-graduate studies at Johns Hopkins University. There he began attending Quaker meetings, telling friends, “I very much like their simplicity and earnestness.”

[Read more…] about Quakers in Education: Nitobe Inazo, Elizabeth Gray Vining, and Joseph Wharton

Quaker Farms – Then and Now

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Not long ago, a typed narrative from a transcribed letter written by a Quaker farmer in “Chester Township” Pennsylvania showed up in some files. It was dated 10th month, 1725, and began “Dear Sister Mary Valentine, this goes with a salutation of love to thee, brother Thomas, and the children…”

[Read more…] about Quaker Farms – Then and Now

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