Deep in the backwoods of Pennsylvania sits the ruins of a period in our history that has been forgotten with time. The structure that once stood on these grounds have been destroyed. All that remains are the remnants of a bake oven and fireplace. Left behind as a whisper of American History.

In 1639, the first Africans arrived in Pennsylvania with the Swedish and Dutch settlers, colonizing the area. When William Penn was granted the Providence of Pennsylvania in 1681, his intent was to establish a place for religious freedom. Penn was a Quaker and Quakers were allowed to own slaves. William Penn has referred to his owning of slaves in his letters and will.

Race-based slavery had become a normal practice by the early 1700’s. It was justified because Africans were viewed as “barbaric and heathens” making them eligible for slavery. Quakers, known for their peaceful practices, continued to own slaves through the colonial period, reasoning it with the explanation that as long as they treated their slaves fairly and without violence, it would coincide with the guidelines of the Quaker Practice. At the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting in 1776, the practice was ruled against, banning members from holding people in bondage. If any member disobeyed this new ruling, they could be excluded from the Society of Friends.