Pennsylvania Hall was built by the state’s Anti-Slavery Society in 1838 with the aid of hundreds of contributors. One message at the jubilant dedication ceremony on May 14 was written by former President John Quincy Adams, who hoped the hall would be a place where liberty and equality of civil rights could “be freely discussed and the evils of slavery fearlessly portrayed.” Hopes for the hall were soon dashed. By the evening of May 17, three days after its opening, it was in flames. Because blacks and whites sat together in the building discussing abolition and walked arm in arm in the neighborhood, some white Philadelphians were incensed. Arsonists torched the hall and city firemen only watched and sprayed water to protect neighboring buildings as the hall burned to the ground.
The pamphlet “Destruction by Fire of Pennsylvania Hall, the New Building of the Abolition Society on the Night of 17th May” published by J.T. Bowen in 1838 describes the burning of Pennsylvania Hall, an important site for the abolitionist movement.
Pennsylvania Hall was constructed in Philadelphia as a space for the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society to hold meetings and promote the abolitionist cause. It was a symbol of the growing movement against slavery and a venue for discussions and rallies.
On the night of May 17, 1838, the hall was set on fire by a mob opposed to abolitionist activities. The arson was a violent response to the increasing activism against slavery and was part of a broader pattern of hostility towards the abolitionist movement in that era. The destruction of the hall was a significant setback for the abolitionists, but it also highlighted the intense opposition they faced.
The pamphlet likely detailed the events surrounding the fire, the damage inflicted, and perhaps the social and political context of the attack. This incident was a stark reminder of the dangers faced by those advocating for social change in a time of intense resistance and conflict.