At O.V. Catto's death, Henry Highland Garnett gave one of the most memorable eulogies to him at his New York City church, Shiloh Presbyterian Church. This event was covered in the New York Times. Garnett, who was a classmate of Charles Reason, the first Institute for Colored Youth principal to mentor Catto, also became one of Catto's national activist associates, working together in the National Equal Rights League with Frederick Douglass. In the U.S. Capitol, painted on the ceiling, is a picture of Garnett with Horace Greeley, celebrating the passage of the 15th Amendment, which granted voting rights to...

Arguably the most well-known 19th century anti-slavery and equal rights activist, Douglass spent considerable time in Philadelphia and was well connected in the African American community, as well as among white Republicans and the Union League. Douglass work with Philadelphians on black troop recruitment and his name appears on the "Men of Color of Philadelphia" recruitment poster. As a leader in the National Equal Rights League, Douglass worked with Catto to extend voting and citizenship rights to black men. Douglass was among the black leaders recognized by the Union League for their success in 1869. A Pennsylvania historical marker...

See Robert Purvis

Before the term "power couple" came into use in the 20th Century, Robert’s and his wife’s, Harriet Forten Purvis, joint and separate activist efforts are examples in the 19th century. Daughter of James Forten, Harriet was an African American abolitionist and first-generation suffragette. With Lucretia Mott, she formed the first biracial female abolition society, the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society. The Purvis' efforts were funded using the fortune Robert inherited from his father. Robert was president of the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society and was an officer in the American Anti-Slavery Society. At the annual meeting of the American Anti-Slavery Society, Robert...

Mercer is the first African American to be elected to public office in the United States. In 1854, he became the first African American lawyer in Ohio. Mercer was an abolitionist, educator and politician/diplomat. He and Catto worked together in the National Equal Rights League (NERL), a national network of activists working to extend black rights and suffrage in Northern states after the Civil War. Mercer led the NERL in 1864. Catto served as secretary of the Pennsylvania chapter, which extended his network of associated across the country. Mercer became head of Howard Law School. At Catto's death, he...

From their childhood as students at the Vaux School, White and Catto forged a life-long friendship. As sons of prominent Philadelphia families, the two were in the same social and later political circles throughout their lives. They were outgoing, energetic young men on the move! White's father was director of the Sunday school at First African Presbyterian Church; Catto's father was the pastor. The two young men were members of the Banneker Institute and also had formed the Pythian early base ball team together. Jacob White became a highly respected educator and the first African American school principal in...