Camp William Penn

Donald Scott Sr. will speak about Camp William Penn that was the largest and first federal Civil War facility under President Abraham Lincoln’s Bureau of United States Colored Troops (USCT) to train Black soldiers during the war from 1863-1865 in what is today Cheltenham Township. Boasting the largest free-Black population outside of the South and the 19th-century’s epicenter of the Underground Railroad, Philadelphia and Camp William Penn hosted the greatest anti-slavery abolitionists, including Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Robert Purvis, Lucretia Mott and William Still. Douglass and Tubman spoke to and rallied some of the almost 11,000 soldiers, many of them formerly enslaved who trained in eleven regiments that fought in a slew of major battles, helped to corner the Confederate general, Robert E. Lee,  and his Rebel forces, as well as capture President Lincoln’s assassins. Harriet Tubman married Nelson Davis, a warrior of the 8th USCT, from the facility. Three members of the 6th USCT earned the Medal of Honor for their bravery, and many gave their lives. At a time when America’s very existence was threatened, the warriors and freedom fighters for human equality associated with Camp William Penn were a major part of the country’s salvation.

A brief Society business meeting will occur prior to the start of the lecture.

Lectures are free and open to the public both in-person in The John Barnes Room at Abington Friends Meeting and on Zoom. Login details will be posted on the website the day of the event or email the Society at oldyorkroadhistory@gmail.com to be added to the mailing list. Lectures are not recorded for later playback.

The lecture series is sponsored by a grant from the Jenkintown Lyceum and all programs are offered free of charge. For more information, please call the Old York Road Historical Society at 215–886–8590.