| 1860-1899: Civil War through Reconstruction Period |
| 1860 |
"Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried
on him personally."
~Abraham Lincoln~ |
| 1862 |
Congress authorized President to accept
persons of African descent for war services |
| 1863 |
First Ohio Negro regiment called into
service, called the Fifth United States Colored Troops |
| 1864 |
Second black Ohio regiment called the Twenty-seventh
United States Colored Troops |
| 1866 |
Akron’s first black church was
established – Negroes met in homes or halls to worship |
| 1868 |
Old Perkins school (abandoned) was moved via
the Ohio Canal to near West Exchange St.
Then called Zion Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church |
| 1880 |
Census – black population at 278 |
| 1890 |
Census – Akron’s Negro population
was at 196 Available occupations were barbers,
tailors, hairdressers, boatsmen, whitewashers, hod carriers
and preachers |
thru
1899 |
George Stevens only Negro known to have
attended Buchtel College Most Negroes lived in area of N. Broadway, Furnace, and
Cuyahoga Streets
Few black businesses appeared
- Pickett and Alexander’s Excelsior Whitewashing Company
- Two bathroom business, Chavis and Hamlin – Martin and Brown
- Barbershops, Martin and Dangerfiled – Hamlin and Hale
Black organizations began to appear:
- Black churches
- Grand Order of Odd Fellows, Summit Lodge No. 3190
- Colored Voters Secret Society
- The Colored Masons, Silver Leaf Lodge No. 47, Free and
Accepted Masons
- Union League Club
|
