Draft:African-American history in Springfield, Massachusetts

African-American history in Springfield

African-American people have lived in Springfield, Massachusetts since its inception in .

17th century

The first recorded African-American residents of Springfield were a man named Tom and an unnamed woman, both of whom were enslaved by John Pynchon, son of Springfield founder William Pynchon. The woman later became pregnant by a white settler; although the man left town unscathed, she was "whipped and fined".

In 1650, records note that William Pynchon had a black indentured servant named Peter Swinck. Swinck married in 1660, and was later granted land in what would become West Springfield and Agawam, and by 1685 they owned 55 acres across three plots within Springfield.

In 1680, an enslaved man named Roco was given 15 lashes for having sex with a white woman, whom he said had "tempted him". By 1685, Roco owned 60 acres in the town, although he was still legally enslaved by William Pynchon. He was able to buy his and his wife, Sue's, freedom from Pynchon in 1695.

In 1681, a man named Jack who had escaped from slavery in Wethersfield, Connecticut came to Springfield. He was imprisoned in the settlement for at least a year.

18th century

The enslaved population in Springfield remained comparatively small compared to other states. By mid-century, around 40 enslaved people lived in Springfield, most of whom were owned by a small group of affluent people.

During the American Revolutionary War, Springfield served as a muster point for American militias, some of whom allowed African-American enlistees. At least 45 African-American men from what is now Hampden County served in the American forces during the war. Following the war, some of these men returned to Springfield to settle down.

19th century

Following Massachusetts' outlawing of slavery in 1791, the state became a haven for escaped slaves from neighboring states (particularly Connecticut and New York), many of whom came to Springfield. However, the city still retained discriminatory attitudes; for instance, although the 18th century brought a number of industrial jobs to Springfield, records indicate that most African-American residents were relegated to menial labor.

The early 1800s saw the development of Hayti, a majority-black neighborhood between State Street and Bay Road in what is now the Winchester Square neighborhood.

In 1808, Jenny Cumfry Williams, who had escaped from slavery in New York in the early 1800s, was found by the man who had legal ownership of her. A group of 19 Springfield residents, among them Bezaleel Howard, raised $100 to buy her freedom.

In the 1810s, Rev. Samuel Osgood, a white abolitionist, became the minister of Springfield's First Church. He went on to officiate many African-American marriages, and harbored fugitive slaves traveling on the Underground Railroad. Other white conductors on the Underground Railroad were Ethan Chapin, who owned the Massasoit House hotel in downtown Springfield, and Jerre and Phoebe Warriner, owners of Springfield's U.S. Hotel. The Warriners also hired escapees wanting to stay in Springfield as hotel staff.

In the late 1820s and early 1830s, an African-American militia headed by Aaron Nazro operated in Springfield.

The African-American Mason family of Monson began to move to Springfield starting in the 1830s.

The first Black church in Springfield, the Sanford Street Church (also called the Free Church, Zion Methodist, and St. John's Congregational) was founded in 1844.

In 1846, abolitionist John Brown moved to Springfield, in part due to his wool business. While living in the city, he formed relationships with many black community members, including minister Eli Baptist. In 1847, Brown met Frederick Douglass for the first time in Springfield.

Ruth Cox Adams, the adopted sister of Frederick Douglass, moved to Springfield in 1848 following her marriage to Perry Frank Adams, a Springfield farmer.

By 1850, 271 black people lived in Springfield, 150 of whom were free. By 1855, the population had increased to 392. The 1850s also saw African Americans in Springfield connecting with other urban African-American communities in nearby communities such as Hartford, Northampton, Pittsfield, Westfield, and Worcester. New residents also arrived from other eastern cities such as Baltimore, D.C., New York City, and Philadelphia. This influx in community members resulted in a number of new barber shops, laundry businesses, and saloons.

In 1857, members of the black community hid John Brown while he was hiding from United States officers.

(1866 Baptist and Thomas Thomas)

A second Black church, Pilgrim Baptist (later Third Baptist Church) was founded in 1871 with 16 members.

Primus P. Mason (1817-) was a free black man from Monson. He became quite wealthy through pig farming, and became a major property owner and investor in Haiti, the underdeveloped neighborhood near the Springfield Armory.

20th century

In 1900, Springfield's African-American community numbered 1,021; by 1940, this had increased to 3,212, as a result of the Great Migration. Although there was not official housing segregation in the city, landlords and realtors did not readily sell to African-Americans except in the area around Willow and Cross Street.

As in the 19th century, many employers did not hire African-Americans for skilled labor jobs, although by the 1930s some did make a living as barbers, carpenters, machinists, and masons. During World War II, some African-American workers were also hired by the Springfield Armory, which needed more labor due to its increased production output. The skills earned by these workers allowed them to obtain other skilled work following the war.

The 1910s saw the founding of a Springfield chapter of the NAACP, and 1913 saw the founding of the Dunbar Community League (now the Urban League of Springfield) by John N. DeBerry, a minister at St. John's Congregational church. The league led to multiple projects aimed towards the African-American community, including a youth club, adult education programs, and Camp Atwater.

Nelson Stevens