In 1688, a group of German Quakers decided to use their voice and turn their faith into action by writing a public petition against enslavement. The original signed petition was lost to time and rediscovered in the ‘fireproof vault’ of Arch Street Meeting House.
Join Emma J. Lapsansky-Werner for a special presentation about the 1688 Germantown Quaker Petition Against Slavery, which will be on view at ASMH from June 29 to August 3, 2026.
Emma Jones Lapsansky-Werner began her studies in American History at the University of Pennsylvania, receiving her Bachelor’s in 1968 and her Master’s in 1969. She continued her studies at the University of Pennsylvania and received her Ph.D. in American Civilization with a concentration in American Social History and Material Culture in 1975. She taught history at Moore College of Art, the Community College of Philadelphia, Temple University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Princeton University between 1973 and 1990. She also served as Associate Dean to the College of Arts and Sciences at Temple University between 1984 and 1986.
In 1990 she accepted a dual position of Curator of Quaker and Special Collections and Associate Professor of History at Haverford College, where she became the first Black woman full professor at the College. After retiring from her position at Haverford College in 2005 she continued to teaching religion and writing courses there.
Emma Lapsansky-Werner serves the historical profession widely, she has given lectures and reviewed books on Philadelphia, Quaker, and Black history throughout her career for a large variety of venues and publications including The Journal of American History, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, and The Library of Congress. Information courtesy of Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections.