William Howard Day
1825-1900
Name: William H. Day
Birthplace: New York City
Status: Free Person of Color
Occupation/Training: Printer, Educator, Clergyman
Residence:
Abolitionist Involvement: After graduating from Oberlin College in 1847 this brilliant scholar worked for the repeal of the Black Laws of Ohio, which put severe limitations and strains on the Free black population of the state. Among the laws of concern to Day, was the law that required all blacks or mulatoes to carry Certificates of Freedoem and to obtain two freeholders to give security for their good behavior. Another law was the one that excluded black children from attneding the common schools, thus blocking them from even a rudimentary education. The final focus of Day's cause was the law that forbade any person of color from giving testimony in a court of law against any white citizen. It was Ohio's racist legal system that inspired William Day to call for a convention of Negro People in the United States in 1848. He worked diligently with Frederick Douglass for the National Negro Convention held in 1849. In 1852 Day convened a large group of Colored Veterans of the War of 1812. This was the first time that these black veterans had received any public or official accolades for their service in the conflict.
His training as a printer allowed him to wrok for the Cleveland Daily True Democrat, and he later became ediitor of the Aliened American, a weekly paper for free blacks in Ohio.
Because of health problems he retired to farm life in Canada, but continued to work for the Anti-Slavery cause. He was in frequent contact with persons such as Martin Delaney, and John Brown. He was in close contact with John Brown, and he printed on his press the Constitution for a new United States, in the event of the success of the Harpers Ferry event. He travelled to England where he met with Martin Delaney personally. After a 5 year journey abroad, he returned to America, where he founded more than 100 schools for refugees and freedmen, in Maryland, and Delaware. He became active in the AME Zion Church and in 1875 was elected general secretary of the General Conference of the AME Zion church. He resettled in Harrisburg Pennsylvania and became elected to the school board.
Family: Parents--John & Eliza Day Wife---Lucy Stanton
Place of Death: Harrisburg, PA
Publications: William J. Simmons- Men of Mark 1887, Black Americans in Cleveland 1974 ; WEB DuBois--The World of Wiliam Howard Day
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