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| National Freedmans Relief Association Objectives, Officers, Teacher Instructions |
| The National Freedmans Relief Association, New York On February 20, 1862 the National Freedman's Relief Association. New York, originated at a meeting held in the hall of the Cooper Institute, in response to an appeal from Gen. Sherman and Commodore Dupont, representing in a general order, dated the 6th of that month, the helpless condition of the blacks within the vast area occupied by the forces under their command, and calling upon the benevolent and philanthropic of the land for aid. The President would be Francis George Shaw, Corresponding Secretary Rev. O. B. Frothingham, Recording Secretary George Cabot Ward, Treasurer Joseph B. Collins, the Executive Committee consisted of C. C. Leigh, Chas. Collins, Rev. Henry J. Fox and William Geo Hawkins. The advisory committee was S. H. Tyng, D. D. and Wm C. Bryant. (See American Missionary for an article on Port Royal and the beginning of the NFRA.) The founding committee was appointed to organize an Association, to make a special appeal to the public, to appoint suitable teachers to instruct the Freedmen in industrial and mechanical arts, in the rudiments of education, the principles of Christianity, their accountability to the laws of God and man, their relation to each other as social beings, and all that might be necessary to render them competent to sustain themselves as members of a civilized society. To attain the end proposed, so far as might be within the reach of the Association, the following plan, with regard to the treatment of the blacks, was adopted: I. They must be treated as Freemen. II. As such they must earn their livelihood as we do, and not be dependent on charity. III. Their labor must be performed under a well-organized superintendence. IV. They will receive compensation for their labor, in the shape of daily wages, reserving there out a sufficient percentage to defray the cost of superintendence. V. As soon as their labor shall be organized, they will be required to provide their own support. VI. In the meanwhile, and until their earnings shall provide the means of their support, they will be aided with food, clothing, and shelter, but such supplies shall be charged to them as advances, to be paid by the receiver, without interest. VII. They may erect tenements on the land, and occupy them, free of charge, but when they occupy tenements erected or supplied by the Association, they shall pay rent. VIII. Schools and churches shall be established among them, and the sick be cared for. IX. No idlers will be allowed among them, but all must work who can. X. Each one will be encouraged to raise on his own ground such articles of food as his family may require, and be so taught gardening as to raise quantities for the army and navy and other markets. XI. To guard against imposition upon their ignorance and inexperience, no stores will be allowed among them except those licensed by the Association. At this meeting William Cullen Bryant proposed that the ex-slaves be known as freedmen as opposed to contrabands. (See more information on the meeting) In November 1863 the National Freedmen's Association would send by the steamer Arago the following teachers: Miss A. G. Goodhue, Miss M. A. Fowler, Miss Kate Foote, Miss M. A. Buss, Miss E. H. Peck, Miss S. E. Peck, Miss E. I. Stuart, Miss L. E. Loyell and Miss E. M. Wood to Beaufort. Officers in the First Annual Report: President, S. H. TYNG, D. D., 83 East Sixteenth Street. Corresponding Secretary. EDGAR KETCHUM, 83 Nassau Street. Recording Secretary. GEORGE CABOT WARD, 56 Wall Street. Treasurer, JOSEPH B. COLLINS, 40 Wall Street. Finance Committee. GEORGE CABOT WARD, 56 Wall Street. JOSEPH B. COLLINS, 40 Wall Street. Home Committee. CHARLES C. LEIGH, 49 Fourth Street, and 400 Broadway. FRANCIS GEORGE SHAW, 111 Broadway. WILLIAM ALLEN BUTLER, 111 Broadway. Foreign Committee, CHARLES GOULD, 2 Hanover Street. MANSFIELD FRENCH, 5 Beck man Street. EDGAR KETCHUM, 83 Nassau Street. Auxiliary Clergymen's Committee. REV. O. B. FROTHINGHAM, Chairman, 112 West Thirty-fourth Street. REV. GEORGE WHIPPLE,Secretary, 61 John Street. REV. PROF. JOHN W. LINDSAY, 191 West Eighteenth Street. REV, NATHAN BROWN, D. D., 115 Nassau Street. REV. J. R. W. SLOANE, 208 West Twenty-second Street. REV. PROF. HENRY B. SMITH, 34 East Twenty-fifth Street. Auxiliary Women's Committee. MRS. G. T. M. DAVIS, Cor. Secretary, 144 East Seventeenth Street. MISS JULIA F. GOULD, Rec. Secretary, 5 East Twenty-sixth Street. MRS. WM. ALLEN BUTLER, Treasurer, 13 East Twelfth. Street. C. C. LEIGH, No, 400 Broadway, New York, Depot for the Reception of Commodities. District Secretaries REV. JOHN DUDLEY, New Haven, Conn., REV. D, C. HAYNE3, 400 Broadway, New York, REV. F. JANES: Utica, N. Y., Officers of the Association (Later list) President - John W. Edmonds, No. 111 Broadway. Corresponding Secretary -- Edgar Ketchum, No. 83 Nassau Street. Recording Secretary -- Edward Gilbert, No. 111 Broadway Treasurer - Joseph B. Collins, No. 40 Wall Street Finance Committee - George Cabot Ward, No. 56 Wall St. Home Committee - Charles C. Leigh, No. 320 Broadway. Benjamin Wandell, No. 3 Pine St. Joseph B. Collins, No. 40 Wall St. Francis George Shaw, No. 111 Broadway Wm. Allen Butler, No. 111 Broadway Instructions to Teachers and Applicants - July 20, 1866 Before acting on any application, the Committee on Teachers require information on the following points: 1. The applicant's full name, age, occupation, and whether with or without family responsibilities. 2. Physical Condition. - No person should apply, or be recommended by others, who has a tendency to pulmonary disease, or who is in any way incapacitated to endure a severe test, both of the mental and physical energies. 3. Mental Qualifications - As a general rule, those only should be encouraged to apply who have had experience in teaching, are found of the employment, and have given satisfactory proof of ability. 4. Personal Characteristics - Habits of industry, economy fidelity, patience, and devotion to the work. The usual compensation of teachers is about $35 per month, teachers boarding themselves. New York Branch of the American Freedmen Union Commission In 1865 in the union of these societies this became the New York Branch of the American Freedmen Union Commission. See Original Teachers of the Port Royal Experiment See Auxiliary Societies of the New York Branch See list of teachers and locations for 1863 See Books and Materials used in Freedmen's Schools See Officers New York Branch American Freedmen Union Commission May, 1866 The Freedmen's Record The Freedmen's Record - A. F. Pillsbury - Mitchelville - September 24, 1864 The Freedmen's Record - E. P. Breck - December 25, 1864 The Freedmen's Record - James P. Blake - December 19, 1864 The Freedmen's Record - A. F. Pillsbury - Refugees from Sherman's march - March 7, 1865 |
| Rev. Mansfield French |
| Frances George Shaw |
| William Cullen Bryant |