One of the highlights of my visit to Oberlin was to see this iconic sculpture honoring the college and community’s contributions to the Underground Railroad. While the claim to be the origin of the War Between the States is still debated, one thing is certain – right from its start, Oberlin was different from any other school and community in the nation. It was the first college in the United States where women and men were taught in the same classrooms. In 1834, the college faculty voted to admit students “irrespective of color.” In 1835 Oberlin admitted James Bradley, who became the first African American to attend Oberlin College. In June of 1835 the Oberlin Anti-Slavery Society was created and by the end of the year the society had 300 members. The anti-slavery society in Oberlin is important because it reaffirmed the community’s commitment to opposing slavery, and also because it was one of few anti-slavery societies in northern Ohio.
Oberlin became a major focus in the abolition movement in the middle of the nineteenth century. They seized every opportunity to challenge the fugitive slave acts and did everything possible to make sure enslaved blacks were not returned to the south. The most famous example is what is known as the Wellington Rescue. John Price, a young black man was kidnapped by Kentucky slave catchers and two Columbus deputies. When the news reached Oberlin, a crowd of blacks and whites went to the Wadsworth Hotel in Wellington where Price was being held.
The crowd demanded Price’s release and when negotiations failed they rushed the hotel. In the chaos, Price was rushed to a buggy and taken back to Oberlin. Hidden in Oberlin College’s President James Fairchild’s attic for a few days Price was then sent on to Canada and never heard from again. Twenty-seven men who aided in Price’s escape were arrested for opposing the Fugitive Slave Act. While awaiting trial, the men chose to stay in jail and printed the newspaper “The Rescuer.” On July 7, 1859, the Kentucky Slave catchers were arrested and charged with the kidnapping of John Price, and all but one of the twenty seven men were released from jail and charges were dropped.
In 1859, two of Oberlin’s African Americans, John A. Copeland and Lewis Sheridan Leary, joined John Brown’s band of 21 raiders in their unsuccessful attempt to bring about emancipation through a slave insurrection at the federal arsenal Harper’s Ferry, Virginia. Leary was killed during the raid and Copeland was later hanged. Oberlin memorialized them with the only monument erected for any of the five African Americans who fought with John Brown. 
Another local hero memorialized in Oberlin was Giles Waldo Shurtleff, who organized the first regiment of colored troops raised in Ohio. A strong tail wind and no rain have enabled me to make good progress through Ohio this weekend. I am heading for Willoughby tomorrow to track down a piper and then on to Ashtabula. Thank you for following along!
Large versions of all my blog pics can be found at my photo gallery
What Do You Think?
As always we want your thoughts, opinions and feedback. Please use the links below to make a comment or suggestion and to see what others are saying about this subject.
You Don't Have to Register
To have your say, just choose the 'name/url' option and enter a screen name (you can leave the url field blank) or choose the 'anonymous' option on the comment screen.
Show Comments - Make Comment - Hide Comments
3 comments:
Hey this is Jim. Just caught up on your travels, had been to busy to catch you this weekend. Your travels are so interesting.
Was just thinking this would make a good book. Anything I ll keep following while on vacation.
Keep up the excellent work.
Here's something I found in an old Ohio History book about G.W. Shurtleff. He was well known during his lifetime for his boyish and somewhat crass sense of humor.
He was famous around Oberlin for his remarkable control of the abdominal muscles, which enabled him to break wind at will, something he was fond of doing at stuffy college functions or overly elaborate parties. He once attended a soirée thrown by the governor's daughter dressed in buckskins and war paint, loudly broke wind and proceeded to lecture the cream of Ohio's social register about the wickedness of alcohol.
Shurtleff himself was a lifelong teetotaler and something of a health enthusiast, although it has been reliably reported that he had a fondness for sweets, especially pastries.
Pat,
You rock man. I'm writing the check now.
I told you Oberlin would be worth the stop...and Charlie is icing on the cake.
Les
Post a Comment