Society of Abolition of Slavery Established

On April 14th, 1775, Anthony Benezet called the first meeting of the Society for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage at the Rising Sun Tavern in Philadelphia. Ten white men attended the first meeting. Twenty Four men attended one of four meetings; of the 24, 17 were Quakers. The organization's initial goal was to help those Blacks and Indians who claimed to have been illegally enslaved.

The organization was reorganized in 1784 as the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery and for the Relief of Free Negroes Unlawfully Held in Bondage. It was reincorporated in 1789 and became known as the Pennsylvania Abolition Society. Benjamin Franklin was elected President. Under its new name, the organization became more active in helping free Blacks and fighting the institution of slavery as a whole.