Document 3: Frances E. W. Harper, "Work Among Colored People," Minutes of the National Woman's Christian Temperance Union, at the Eleventh Anuual Meeting in St. Louis, Missouri, October 22nd to 25th, 1884 (Chicago, Ill.: Woman's Temperance Publication Association, 1884), pp. lxxviii-lxxxiii. Excerpted from Women and Social Movements in the United States, http://asp6new.alexanderstreet.com/was2/was2.object.details.aspx?dorpID=1 000672327 Introduction: Frances E. W. Harper, of Philadelphia..was … focused as Superintendent of Work Among Colored People in the North. Her annual report to the WCTU's 1884 meeting in St. Louis provides excerpts from the many reports she received from state and city unions. While the reports offer varied perspectives, one senses a tremendous increase in activity …. Harper took a moderate stance in the WCTU's work, emphasizing "duty" more than "rights" in her concluding paragraph. She emphasized racial uplift rather than an outright challenge to white supremacy, an approach that no doubt influenced her position in the conflict that emerged between WCTU President Frances Willard and anti-lynching activist, Ida B. Wells, a bit more than a decade later… WORK AMONG COLORED PEOPLE In giving this, my first report, to the National W.C.T.U., it would be gratifying if I could chronicle great achievements and grander satisfactions; but the Temperance work among the colored people of the North is an educational and missionary one, more the time of seed sowing than harvest gathering, and yet the whole field is not barren of hopeful results and from different States I have received encouraging tidings which we may hope are only the first steps of a mighty advancement; faint indications of a day yet to dawn with unclouded splendor over our rum-cursed land where it is the blessed privilege of every branch of the human race within its boarders to add its quota toward sweeping from our land that traffic which sends such floods of sorrow, shame, and death to habitations of men. Mrs. Walker, writing from Providence, R.I. says: "Rhode Island has two Unions among the colored people which have done excellent service. We have one colored Band of Hope of which we are quite proud; they have held public meetings, and by their sweet songs and recitations interested all. While we have done considerable work among the colored people, and have endeavored to secure their sympathy and co-operation, yet expect the coming year will show greater fruitage. We hope another year to bring you a better report." Mrs. Livermore reports from Massachusetts: "We find that many of the colored people are members of lodges composed of colored people only. .. A flourishing Band of Hope composed of colored children exists in Boston, under the auspices of the W.C.T.U.; colored women are members of the W.C.T.U. in many of the towns, and, also in many places colored children belong to the children's organizations. We greatly prefer to have the colored women and children unite in our organizations, (there are so few colored people in our State), than to have them in separate societies." Mrs. Temple reports from Delaware that a flourishing union was formed in Wilmington, with about 30 members; they hold meetings weekly; have a flourishing Temperance School under the efficient care of Miss Sterling, with between 30 and 40 members. Since then it has, I understand, increased to about 50 members. A new Union was formed last month in Middletown, and several meetings were held in the State by the National Superintendent.

Mrs. Lefetra reports from the District of Columbia …[“] We have had efficient help from our National Superintendents, Mrs. Judith Ellen Foster, Mrs. Emily McLaughlin, and our very efficient Superintendent of work among the colored people of the North, Mrs. F. E. W. Harper, who gave us ten days of most valuable work. We have held meetings in many leading churches, with the kindly co-operation of the pastors, and have had telling speeches from Hon. Fred Douglass. Prof. R.T. Greener, and others of the leading colored people. We held one large meeting at Howard University, being most kindly welcomed by the President; and another at Maryland Seminary, where we were greatly encouraged by Professor King organizing a large society. The people are deeply appreciative, and no white field is more ready to harvest than this; no color line has circumscribed my sympathies and love for the work and in return the Saviour has sent his blessed love into my heart, most richly rewarding every effort. I regret that I am unable to remain in this department another year, but my heart will never cease to beat in sympathy with the work and the workers. Number of members to auxiliaries; Asbury M.E. Church 30, Mrs. Foote, President; 19th Street Baptist Church 40, Miss Cookly, President: 15th Street Presbyterian Church 23, Mrs. Rev. Grimkie, President; Maryland Seminary 40, M.H. Johnson, President.[“] Mrs. Fields, reporting from Kansas, says "Work in this line has been done in some localities, but not so much as should have been done. I regard it as an important work in our State; there is a large population of colored people, and they are very largely opposed to our Temperance law, for a large minority of the men drink, indeed the exceptions are those that do not, even the women are fond of drink and think it no harm. I hope it will be a special line of work for next year. We have no Union in Leavenworth." Mrs. Sarah J. Downs reports from New Jersey: "We are doing some good work among the colored people, and have a Superintendent, but outside of her own city, she has not been able to do much. We organize where ever we can, and are doing our utmost to improve their condition as to the drink habit. …” Mrs. Cooper of Melville, N.J., also reports: "I do not know that I can do justice to the Temperance work among the colored people of New Jersey, but will give you what information I can with great pleasure. We have in the State three colored Unions organized by, and in connection with the W.C.T.U.. One at Mount Holly, one at Newark, one at Washington and Elisabeth; besides these, many of our Local Unions have colored members. David Shippard, and Annie Shippard, (husband and wife), are officers and organizers of the Lodge of Good Samaritans in this State. She is a member of our Union here; she said they have 1,272 members in this State, and it is distinctively a Temperance organization; they are also organizing among the children. In the city of Millville we have had no license for 11 years, and the colored people with the white are thrifty, well to do citizens, blessed by prohibition." Mrs. McConnell of Illinois, says June 11th, "The work of Temperance is at a very indifferent stage. The colored people take no interest in it. Unions have been formed, but have died out. The pastors fail to make the work a specialty." ….. Mrs. Griffith of New York, reports: "We have no separate department for work among the colored people in our State. An effort was made by Mrs. Burt of Brooklyn, to secure a W.C.T.U. in each of the colored churches there, but it was unsuccessful. There is one however, in New York City, I think composed of colored women entirely. In the small towns, colored women join and work with their white sisters in W.C.T.U. The matter of forming a department for this work in the State, was thoroughly discussed, and it was decided that the County Presidents should each strive to organize the colored women in their own counties, and induce them to take up W.C.T.U. work."

…. Mrs. Cary, of Mount Pleasant, Iowa, says "there is quite a large colored element in this place. I can only answer for it. In forming our Unions two and one-half years ago, we took especial pains to invite them to join us, and several came in for a short time, but only one held out, and she is with us in spirit and in work. She says most of her sisters say they must have their beer, and we find them more difficult to reach than the men." …. Although Pennsylvania has a large number of colored people in her borders, last year she was not mentioned in the Annual Report of this Department. This year the shadows have begun to brighten. Ladies of several Unions have reached out helping hands to the Superintendent. …. In Ohio a number of meetings were held during the Spring, a few Unions formed, and some mission work begun, which I have been informed has since died out. Several religious bodies have been visited by the National Superintendent, and opportunity given to present our cause in Maryland and Virginia. Miss Reed reports from Indiana: "There are seven colored W.C.T.Unions, 2 in Indianapolis, 1 each at Seymour, Franklin, New Albany, Richmond, Greenfield. Where Unions could not be organized, the Superintendent of Departments has endeavored to organize the women into Temperance Praying Bands. There is one at Plainfield and one at Indianapolis. One Young People's Temperance Union has been organized at Indianapolis. These organizations have a membership of about 175 or 200. Bands of Hope-there are 10 in Indianapolis, one each at Seymour, Greenfield, Franklin, and Richmond--14 in all. Three Industrial Schools have been sustained in Indianapolis. The aggregate membership of these juvenile organizations is about 800 and all are pledged. Temperance lessons are given quarterly in Sunday-schools of Indianapolis, 80 catechims on alcohol have been distributed among teachers, and in some cases taught to the pupils of the Sunday-school. To add to the popularity of our work a New Year's reception was given to the young ladies and Bands of Hopes receiving 80 calls. Appropriate leaflets were given out, and chromo Temperance cards with greetings of the season, and eleven persons signed the pledge, one a prominent lawyer before opposed. Two delightful parlor socials were given by the Bands of Hope. On the 11th of July, the ten Indianapolis Bands united in a grand picnic, marching to the picnic with banners and badges proclaiming total abstinence and Prohibition. A splendid entertainment of recitations and songs, etc., was given there; 500 pages of literature distributed, a number of signatures to the pledge obtained, and a young ladies' Union formed. These girls have taken hold of the work in earnest; have already given a Paper Fair which was a grand success, bringing a nice little sum into their treasury, and above all giving prestige to their work. A part of the money they are spending for grapes out of which the Mother Union is making unfermented wine, which the ministers are pledged to use if they can obtain it. They are buying literature with part of the remainder for distribution. About 8,000 tracts and papers have been distributed in addition to the 80 catechisms in Sunday-school. A number of Temperance papers are taken. Two copies of The Organizer are sent to the Women's Reformatory.

A greater part of the year Bible Readings and Consecration Meetings have been given by and for the mothers; some at their private houses, at other times at the various churches. These have been seasons of great profit not only spiritually, but most of those who came to the Bible Readings were trying to learn to read the Word for themselves. To one who was privileged to be with them in their Bible Readings as a sort of leader, it never had any educational advantages, so eager to learn to read, that they might be more efficient, spelling out so patiently the blessed words, gaining courage gradually to read out loud before each other, notwithstanding the stumbling and so gaining the courage to read, as some of them have done since, before public congregations. Meetings have been held in several Unions by the Superintendents: and the Local Organizations in several places hold meetings frequently. Two colored papers in Indianapolis have been furnished from time to time, with items for publication in relation to our work and have published them. An afternoon was given to Temperance at the Greenfield Colored Camp-meeting; and the Colored People's work presented to the Action Park Assembly and Vienna Park Temperance Camp-meeting by Mrs. Hill. In addition to the above, there are Colored Temperance Societies reported at several other places but not connected with the W.C.T.U.; in other places where there is no separate organization, the Colored people are interested, and the members of other organizations, the sentiment is steadily growing notwithstanding the many difficulties which you fully understand. Not a few have grown strong enough to stand by the Prohibition party ticket.[“] This report has its lights as well as its shadows, and represents a field of vast moral, political and spiritual importance, if the future welfare of the nation must rest, not upon its wealth and intelligence, but upon its wisdom and virtue. For years we have been hearing the word rights, but there is a higher, holier and grander word than that, it is the word duty, and we need the application of that word to lift up our whole civilization to higher plane of thought. To help a race who have behind them the barbarism of heathendom, and ages of the weakness, ignorance and poverty of slavery, into loving, helpful sympathy with others who have behind them ages of Christian civilization, is a work that well might fill an angel's heart with tender love. Into the hands of the sisters of this Union God has placed one of the grandest opportunities that was ever put before the womanhood of any age or nation. May God grant that they may find a broadening of their lives, and influx of divine love in helping in this department, and of last hear from the lips of the Master, "In as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto me." FRANCES E. W. HARPER, Superintendent. Philadelphia, Pa.