Backgrounders Connecting Headlines with History
Featured Topic
Appeal of Forty Thousand Citizens
By David Reader
The Appeal of Forty Thousand Citizens, Threatened with Disfranchisement, to the People of Philadelphia attempted to persuade Philadelphians to vote against the ratification of a new constitution for Pennsylvania in 1838 because the word “white” had been inserted prior to “freemen” as a qualification for voting. Written by African American leader Robert Purvis (1810-98), the pamphlet highlighted the achievements, sacrifices, and value of the black community to Philadelphia.
Browse the Encyclopedia
About EGP
About Us
The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia is a civic project to increase understanding of one of America’s greatest cities.
Produced by the Mid-Atlantic Regional Center for the Humanities (MARCH) at Rutgers-Camden, the Encyclopedia as a digital resource and in print volumes will offer the most comprehensive, authoritative reference source ever created for the Philadelphia region.
This is a work in progress. Watch us grow!
Support Our Efforts
Each topic in The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia is the product of many hours of research, writing, editing, and digital production. To build this resource to more than 1,000 topics spanning the region, we welcome your financial support.
The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia is produced by the Mid-Atlantic Regional Center for the Humanities (MARCH) at Rutgers-Camden. Gifts to this project are made through the Rutgers University Foundation.
Make a gift today.