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WILLIAM COOPER NELL, 1816-1874
WILLIAM COOPER NELL,1816-1874.
WILLIAM COOPER NELL
19TH CENTURY
ABOLITIONIST - HISTORIAN - INTEGRATIONIST
edited by Dorothy Porter Wesley and Constance Porter Uzelac
William Cooper Nell was an active abolitionist in the American antislavery conflict. He was a protester, an activist for equal rights, an integrationist, and an organizer. He was also a business agent, an accountant, and a preparer of deeds and mortgages. He conducted the LiberatorŐs employment bureau for free blacks and fugitive slaves. As the secretary for numerous organizations and conventions, Nell edited their proceedings and wrote many of the resolutions, presented toasts, often made brief statements and delivered lectures. Most of his publications were printed in the Liberator and other papers of the day. Donald Jacobs wrote that "Nell was the arch-integrationist, perhaps the most vehement black integrationist in all the free states, and his views fit in well with Garrison's". Partly for this reason, Garrison was more than willing to open up the Liberator's pages to Nell and his ideas, especially after Nell's return from Rochester .... Article after article appearing in the Liberator during the 1850's bears the Nell signature and imprint, and the paper's point of view in relation to local black affairs is often colored by Nell's own attitudes. Garrison relied heavily on Nell to evaluate the position of Boston's black community. Nell was so talented a writer that William S. McFeely, in his book, Frederick Douglass stated that Nell "missed his calling. A born reporter, he carried his writing pad with him wherever he went; in the middle of one of Douglass's speeches, or alone at night in bed, he would toss onto the page his immediate thought. Then he would draw a line under it and, the next moment or the next day, leap to a totally different topic."
Robert Smith wrote "Nell toiled inconspicuously in the antislavery garden." Through his letters to William Lloyd Garrison, Wendell Phillips, Amy Kirby Post and Jeremiah Burke Sanderson, he painted the daily activities of the abolitionists and their visitors in the Antislavery office. His breadth of writings included articles, editorial comments, obituaries, biographies, notices of meetings, convention and meeting reports, and pamphlets and books, which included Services of Colored Americans, in the Wars of 1776 and 1812. 1851, with a second edition printed in 1852; Colored Patriots of the American Revolution, With Sketches of Several Distinguished Colored Persons: To Which Is Added a Brief Survey of the Condition and Prospects of Colored Americans, 1855; Triumph of Equal School Rights. Proceedings of the Presentation Meeting held in Boston December 17, 1855; Including addresses by John T. Hilton, Wm. C. Nell, Charles W. Slack, Wendell Phillips, Wm. Lloyd Garrison, Charles Lenox Remond, 1856; Boston Massacre, March 5th 1770; That Day Which History Selects as the Dawn of the American Revolution; Commemorative Festival at Faneuil Hall, Friday March 5, 1858; Protest Against the Dred Scott Decision. Boston, E.L. Balah, 1858; and Property Qualification, Or No Property Qualification: A few Facts From the Record of Patriotic Services of the Colored Men of New York, During the Wars of 1776 and 1812, With a Compendium of Their Present Business, and Property Statistics, 1860. "Departure of the Mass[achusetts] Fifty-Fourth Regiment For South Carolina" in the Souvenir [Program] of the Departure of the Massachusetts Fifty-Fourth (Colored) Regiment. Boston, 1863. The Boston Public Library also attributes the following title to Nell, The Loyalty and Devotion of Colored Americans in the Revolution and War of 1812. Boston, Wallcut, 1861. This document is written much in the same vein as Colored Patriots ... The Library of Congress attributes the publication to William Lloyd Garrison, however, the style is Nell! He also makes reference to several other publications not yet located.
Nell acted as a subscription agent and contributor to many newspapers including the National Anti-Slavery Standard, the Weekly Elevator, the North Star, the Provincial Freedman, and the Pine and Palm. For six months he was the publisher and printer of Frederick Douglass's North Star. A man of many interests, Nell was a believer in spiritualism, an avid reader, a book collector and the first of his color to become a federal employee in Boston when he was hired by John Palfrey to work at the Boston Post Office in 1863.
At age eleven, he began his education at home, and subsequently entered the school appointed by the Public School Committee which was located in the basement (Nell refers to this location as basement in one instance and as vestry in another) of the African Meeting House church off Belknap St (now known as Joy Street). Nell achieved a good record in the Primary and Grammar, the former being for pupils of ages below eight years, and the latter of ages eight to thirteen years. He must have studied under Wiliam Bascom since he was the teacher from 1824 to 1835. Upon graduation in 1829 from the Grammer School at the age of thirteen, he qualified for a city-wide award presented to "the most deserving pupils, general scholarship taken into account." The awards were made possible by a bequest from Benjamin Franklin, who had left 100 pounds sterling in his will for that purpose. These medals were initially given only to boys; however, in 1821, girls were included and they became known as City Medals.
As a colored person Nell was denied the medal. He wrote concerning these awards, which he felt were due to be given to the three deserving graduates from his school, Charles A. Battiste, Nancy Woodson, and himself: "In lieu of Franklin medals, legitimately our due, Mr. Armstrong gave each [of us] an order on Dea[con] James Loring's Bookstore for " a book entitled The Life of Benjamin Franklin. Nell and the others were omitted from the list of those invited to the awards dinner. Furious at this act of discrimination, he found a way to be present. He wrote:
"I made good my court with one of the waiters, who allowed me to serve others as a fee for serving myself the physical being then with me subordinate. Mr. Armstrong whispered to me, "you ought to be here with the other boys." Of course, the same idea had more than once been mine, but - - his remarks, while witnessing the honors awarded to white scholars only augmented my sensitiveness all the more by the intuitive inquiry, which I eagerly desired to express - If you think so why have you not taken steps to bring it about."
The impression made upon my mind by this day's experience deepened into a solemn vow, that, "God helping me, I would do my best to hasten the day when the color of the skin would be no barrier to equal school rights."
Nell's belief in elevation is highlighted by examining his own educational which was minimual; we know that he attended the Primary and Grammar Schools. Wesley noted that "shortly after Nell's graduation, he became interested in law and decided to pursue this interest in some law office. Since it was common in that period to study in law offices under experienced lawyers, Nell began in the offices of William Ingersoll Bowditch, a prominent Boston attorney and an abolitionist." Wesley's notes continue, "After a brief period of study and application Nell decided not to enter the legal profession, for, in order to practice law, he would have to take an oath to support the Constitution" of the United States. His friend William Lloyd Garrison regarded this as a pro-slavery document, "a sin framed by law," while Wendell Phillips looked upon it as "a compromise with the slave power." Influenced by their opinions, Nell abandoned the study of law and turned his interest to a career in anti-slavery affairs and public service. However, upon his return from Rochester to Boston, he wrote Amy Kirby Post on June 30th 1849, "I have obtained my certificate for 2 1/2 years from Mr. Bowditch." This brief amount of formal education becomes mind-boggling as one reads his reports and analyzes of meetings and his reflections on current and ancient events. An example of this is his awareness of Christophe Clavaux, L'Ouverture, Shakespeare, Victor Hugo and Homer. He seemed to learn as he set the type for the abolitionists speeches which were printed in the Liberator. Nell's first job was working as errand-boy in the office of William Lloyd Garrison. Thomas Paul, Jr., son of the minister, Thomas Paul, served as a printer in the office.
Numerous youth organizations, literary societies, associations, and dramatic clubs were springing up within Boston's anti-slavery movement, and young Nell sought to give leadership to them. He believed that the main method to achieve his goal of integration was through education, elevation and knowledge as power. He believed his people had to educate themselves as quickly as possible, in order to move to the greater and higher level of integration. He was associated with the Boston Minors' Society of which he was appointed manager; and served as Secretary of the Juvenile Garrison Independent Society when quite young.
CHRONOLOGY OF HIS LIFE
1805 - William Lloyd Garrison was born in Newburyport, Mass., on December 10
1812 - William Guion Nell was a Stewart on board the General Gadsden during the U. S. and Britain disputed over territorial and shipping rights which lead to the War of 1812
1816 - William Cooper was born on December 22 at 64 Kendall St., Beacon Hill, Boston
1817?- Frederick Douglass was born
1827 - became a student at the African Meetingáhouse School, the first separate colored grammar school in America
1829 - Graduated and received The Life of Benjamin Franklin - for academic achievement
1830 - Both Nell's probably attended Garrison's 4th lecture at Athenľum Hall, Pearl Street
1832 - appointed Manager, Boston Minor's Exhibition Society; and Secretary of the [Juvenile] Garrison Independent Society
1835 - witnessed Abolition/ Boston/ Garrison Mob of October 21st
1838 - Addressed meeting in Belknap St. Church celebrating the overthrow of slavery in the British West Indies; appointed Secretary, Adelphic Union Library Association
1840 - Employed at Anti-Slavery Room, due to efforts of John A. Collins and Oliver John-son; issued joint statement with other Negro abolitionists reaffirming faith in Garrison and his principles in The Liberator; Nell, Barbadoes and Hilton signed petition; toasted statements at Union Festival, Belknap St Church; spoke at the Anniversary of British Emancipation; accompanied Garrison to Salem returning on the Eastern Railroad train - the conductor did not like Nell's skin color - Garrison and Nell then moved to the "Colored" cars; representative working with David Ruggles calling for the National Reform Convention of the Colored Inhabitants of the United States of America
1841 - Third lecture before "our own association;" makes mention of compiling a "biography of Attucks," and that he has been "unable to find out much of the history of Attucks;" June 2 - appointed Secretary of the Meeting in Behalf of the Mirror of Liberty, and appointed on a committee to obtain subscribers; met with David Ruggles, Rev. J. W. C. Pennington, and John B. Vashon to organize the 1st Annual Convention, American Reform Board of Disfranchised Commissioner held in New York City; became Secretary and on Business Committee with David Ruggles, John Brown, T. L. Jinnings and P. Loveridge; delivered speech at Zion's Wesleyan Methodist Church
1842 - presented resolutions at the Great Mass. Meeting of Colored Citizens of Boston, Nov. 30th (protest against the treatment of George Latimer); he and Hilton raised money for LatimerŐs defense
1843 - Formed New England Freedom Association with Weeden, Smith, Armstead, and Cummings; April - William Guion Nell dies; President, Adelphic Union; presented lecture 'The Means for Securing Success and Elevation;' August - represented Massachusetts at the National Convention of Colored Men in Buffalo
1844 - Apr. 16 - Tuesday lectured before the New England Freedom Association; nominated Corresponding Secretary for this Association; June - signed petition opposing separate schools
1846 - organized the Young Men's Literary Society; Dec. 4 - Garrison departed for Europe, Nell presided over farewell activities and as Secretary and Business Committee member organized reception upon Garrison's return; Signed petition with Garrison, Phillips, Jackson, Williams asking city to grant equal school rights; Headed the list of signers of the first petition presented to the Massachusetts legislature asking for integration of public schools; lectured in New Bedford and Providence regarding the Torrey Monument
1847 - Monday May 3 - presided over reception ceremonies in Boston welcoming Douglass home from Europe; named as delegate representing the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society to the National Convention of Colored Americans in Troy, N.Y., October 6- 9; moved to Rochester to work as publisher of |
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