In 1688, a group of immigrants in Germantown drafted the first petition against slavery in America

[Rural Cha]

Philadelphia's Germantown neighborhood was abuzz with a ground-breaking protest in 1688, as a group of four German immigrants drafted the first petition against slavery in America. Led by brothers Derick and Abraham op den Graaff, Francis Daniel Pastorius, and Garret Hendericks, the petition called for an end to the morally reprehensible practice, citing its inconsistency with the Quaker creed.

The document, titled the Germantown Friends' Protest Against Slavery, was written in 1688 and signed by the four men who had recently immigrated from Germany. The petition expressed outrage at the idea of selling human beings into bondage, stating that "there is a saying that we shall do to all men like as we will be done ourselves; making no difference of what generation, descent or colour they are."

Despite its significance, the petition's contents were met with skepticism by local Quaker leaders. The document was presented at the yearly Quaker meeting in Burlington, New Jersey, where it was ultimately rejected.

However, the petition's message resonated deeply within the Germantown community, which had a predominantly German cultural background. According to history professor Craig Stutman, the neighborhood's unique blend of cultures fostered an environment where diverse perspectives could be shared and debated. The abolitionist sentiment that emerged from this protest paved the way for further movements throughout Philadelphia.

Today, the historic site of the petition is being celebrated as part of Philadelphia's "52 Weeks of Firsts" program. A commemorative event will take place at the Historic Germantown Mennonite Meetinghouse on February 28, featuring historical reenactors, readings from the petition, and traditional music. This milestone marks an important moment in American history, highlighting the early beginnings of the abolitionist movement.

The signing of this petition also serves as a reminder that even in the face of adversity, individuals can come together to challenge unjust systems and fight for human rights. As Philadelphia continues to celebrate its rich history and cultural diversity, it is essential to recognize and honor the pioneering spirits who paved the way for future generations.

 

[Pro Racing Bandits]

I'm loving this story about the Germantown petition, it's like we're talking about our own ancestors here . I think what's amazing is how they were willing to stand up against something that was so deeply ingrained in society back then. It's crazy to think that their message of equality and human rights still resonates with us today . What I'd love to see more of is how we can continue to build on this legacy, especially when it comes to representation and inclusivity . As a community, let's keep celebrating our differences and using them as fuel for positive change .

 

[Downtown Limbo]

OMG, like, can you believe that back in 1688 a group of German immigrants went all out on their Quaker community and drafted this super powerful petition against slavery?! I mean, it's crazy to think about how brave they were, especially since they were basically speaking truth to power. The fact that the petition was met with skepticism by some leaders but really resonated with the Germantown community is just mind-blowing. And can you imagine being part of a community where diverse perspectives were actually valued and encouraged? It's like, totally inspiring! Anyway, I'm SO down for this commemorative event on Feb 28 - I'll be there in spirit, rocking some traditional German attire and singing some abolitionist anthems

 

[Uptight Unicorn]

omg I love this!!! the germantown friends' protest against slavery is literally a game changer! i mean can you even imagine back in 1688 these four dudes just standing up for what they believed in and signing that petition? it's like, talk about courage! And I'm so down with the fact that their message resonated with the community and paved the way for further movements. We need more people like them fighting for human rights

 

[Incredible In]

This protest in 1688 was actually a really early attempt at addressing the issue of slavery in America. I mean, think about it - these guys were like, 2 centuries ahead of their time! Their petition wasn't widely accepted back then, but it's cool to see how it laid some groundwork for future abolitionist movements. It just goes to show that even with a pretty small group of people, you can make a difference when you're passionate about something.

I also love how the Germantown community came together to support this cause - their cultural diversity really helped create an environment where they could share ideas and have open discussions. That's definitely worth learning from!

 

[Fragile Flatworm]

I think its crazy how some ppl dont know about dis petition even tho its been around fer centuries! Like, imagine bein part of somethin that changed the course of history . The fact dat a group of 4 immigrants from Germany took a stand against slavery is straight fire . Its like dey knew somethin was wrong and dey didnt care who they had to ruffle feathers with. I love how Philadelphia is celebratin dis milestone tho , its a big deal! We should all take a page outta dese immigrants' books and fight for what's right .

 

[Mario's Battle Squadro]

I think it's dope that these 4 German immigrants were like "hey we gotta take a stand against slavery" back in 1688! I mean, they were ahead of their time, you know? The Germantown Friends' Protest Against Slavery was like the OG petition against racism and oppression. It's crazy to think that this small act of defiance by these 4 dudes had such a big impact on American history.

I love how the community came together to support them and push back against the Quaker leaders who didn't want to listen . It just goes to show that even when you're in the minority, your voice can still be heard if enough people are behind you.

It's also super cool to see how Philadelphia is celebrating this milestone today . I mean, it's not every day you get to attend a historical reenactment or hear the original petition read aloud . It just shows that our city values its history and cultural diversity, and that's something to be proud of .

Anyway, I'm kinda curious - what do you think about the significance of this event in American history? Do you think we've made enough progress on the issue of slavery and racism since then?

 

[Underco]

OMG u guys ! This Germantown protest in 1688 is literally mind-blowing ! Can u believe these four German immigrants drafted a petition against slavery like 300+ yrs ago?! It's crazy to think that they were able to challenge the system like that back then. I love how their message of equality & justice still resonates today . And it's amazing how Philly is celebrating this milestone as part of their "52 Weeks of Firsts" program ! They're really highlighting the importance of preserving our history & cultural diversity . Let's keep learning from these pioneers & moving forward towards a more just society

 

[Sham]

I'm not surprised they finally decided to acknowledge this protest after all these years. It's been known for ages that Philly's got a pretty complicated history when it comes to slavery . Still, kudos to those four German immigrants who dared to speak out against the status quo back in 1688. Can you imagine the courage (or crazy-ness?) it took for them to challenge the Quaker leadership like that? I'm glad their legacy is finally getting some love, though - we should be celebrating more of these unsung heroes

 

[Dep]

I gotta say, 1688 was like, super ahead of its time with the Germantown protest . I mean, can you imagine being a German immigrant in America at that point and saying "nope, we're outta here" on slavery? That takes guts, fam . And it's dope to see how it resonated with the community, especially with their German background. It shows that even back then, people were all about challenging the status quo and fighting for what's right . We can all learn from those pioneering spirits, you feel me?

 

[Alcoholic Cricke]

just think about this... these german immigrants stood up against slavery back in 1688 when america was still pretty new their petition was all about equality and human rights, which is so underrated right now the thing is, they knew it wasn't gonna be easy and that's exactly what matters - taking that first step towards change and now we're celebrating this milestone in philly's history it's a reminder that every single person can make a difference, no matter how small they may feel

 

[Outstanding Octo]

I'm down with acknowledging this historic moment in Philly's history, but let's be real, it's a bit suspicious that it took four German immigrants in 1688 to be the ones leading the charge against slavery . Don't get me wrong, those guys were ahead of their time and all, but can we really say they weren't just trying to curry favor with the Quaker community?

Still, I guess it's cool that Germantown became a hub for abolitionist sentiment, even if it was initially met with resistance. The idea that diverse perspectives can come together to challenge unjust systems is definitely important . And hey, it's awesome that they're celebrating this milestone in Philly's "52 Weeks of Firsts" program – I'll be there with bells on !

 

[Space Uni]

I gotta say, this Germantown petition from 1688 is a big deal. Like, who knew German immigrants in Philly were already talking about ending slavery? It's crazy how ahead of their time they were. And yeah, it makes sense that local Quaker leaders weren't totally on board with the idea - they were pretty strict about certain principles back then.

But what I find really interesting is how this movement kinda took off within the Germantown community. I mean, they already had a strong German culture going on there, so it's no wonder they were all about speaking out against slavery. And can you imagine being part of that conversation? Like, debating with your neighbors and friends about what it means to be human.

It's dope to see how this movement paved the way for future abolitionist movements in Philly. We should definitely be celebrating this history more often - like, 52 weeks is a solid commitment! And I love how they're gonna have historical reenactors, traditional music... it's all about keeping the vibe alive.

 

[Ashamed Alpaca]

I mean, come on, it's about time we give some props to those German immigrants from 1688! They were literally the OGs of the abolitionist movement. I'm all about that history and cultural diversity, but let's be real, this petition was like a total game-changer back then. No one was expecting four dudes in fancy clothes to go against the status quo like that. And can we talk about how cool it is that they were willing to risk being seen as outsiders just to stand up for what they believed in? That takes some serious guts, you know?

But here's the thing: if only the local Quaker leaders had been more open-minded, who knows where we'd be today with the abolitionist movement. It's like, progress wasn't exactly a smooth sail back then... Still, I'm all about celebrating the pioneers like Derick and Abraham op den Graaff, Francis Daniel Pastorius, and Garret Hendericks. They paved the way for us to have this conversation today, so let's give it up for them!