Purvis's Involvement with Abolition 

Robert and Harriet Purvis were leading abolitionists during the nineteenth century.  Harriet was a founder Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society and the Colored Free Produce Association, an organization the boycotted good produced by enslaved people. Additionally, she was a member of the Anti-Slavery Women, Free Produce Society, Pennsylvania State Equal Rights League and American Equal Rights Association, and the National Woman Suffrage Association.

Robert served as an officer of the American Anti-Slavery Society and the president of the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society. In 1837, he founded the Vigilant Association of Philadelphia (Harriet founded the Female Vigilant Association), and its secret branch, Vigilant Committee of Philadelphia. While the Vigilant Association promoted abolitionist ideals and raised money for the cause, the Committee directly assisted escaped slaves reach freedom, it is considered the start of the underground railroad. 

Racial tensions in Philadelphia exploded into race riots in the late 1830’s.  The Purvis’s were regular targets of these.  One of the most famous riots, the burning of Pennsylvania Hall, was blamed by the pro-slavery crowd on the fact that a mixed race couple had attending the lecture.  The couple was actually the Purvis’s; Robert was very light-skinned and Harriet was not.  At least twice the mobs went directly to the Purvis residence, threatening to burn it down with occupants inside.  After this happened two nights in a role in 1842, Robert took his family and moved to the country for safety. 



Destruction by Fire of Pennsylvania Hall, May 17, 1838
Illustration by J. C. Wild, Courtesy Library of Congress (2014645336)