The Enslaved
Their descendants
339 Manumissions and Beyond Project
Unearthing The Legacy:
Quaker Enslavers, The Enslaved and Their Descendants
The Story
Avis Wanda McClinton of Pennsylvania is a dedicated Quaker Preservationist leading an incredible genealogical and reparative initiative, 339 Manumissions and Beyond Project. In response to a calling from God, Avis Wanda set out to uncover names and the lives of 396 African Americans who were enslaved and manumitted by members of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Avis Wanda, along with genealogists and academic researchers are determined to uncover what happened to these manumitted individuals.
Avis Wanda McClinton
Born in Pennsylvania, Avis Wanda McClinton is a woman of deep faith who listens to God and follows His commands with unwavering conviction. Guided by her spiritual beliefs, she has become a powerful voice for justice and remembrance. Despite facing significant pushback and racism, Avis Wanda remains committed to speaking out about the countless lives lost to slavery—those whose names and stories have been erased from history," known only to God".
Her advocacy is not merely personal; it is a mission rooted in compassion, historical truth, and moral responsibility. Through her work, Avis Wanda challenges institutions and communities to confront the painful legacy of slavery and to honor the humanity of the enslaved. Her passion is unshakable, and her voice is a testament to resilience. In the face of adversity, she stands tall, determined to ensure that the forgotten are remembered and that silence is replaced by truth.
Our Mission
The 339 Manumissions and Beyond Project is a reparative, spirit-led, genealogical search to uncover the lives and family trees of the Africans who were granted their freedom by members of the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Quakers, once it was decided that Quakers could no longer own people.
Vision
Our hope is that our project will be able to connect the manumitted to existing genealogical resources, which will allow their descendants to find them.
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Additionally, we aim for our research to offer glimpses into the lives of the manumitted and answer such questions as: where did they live? with whom? what did they do for work? were they religious? did they they get married? what resources did they accumulate or utilize?
Genealogical Family Tree
Our aim is to fill our family trees with names and faces with those from the forgotten past.
SUPPORT OUR PROJECT
CLICK ON THE ABOVE FRIENDS FIDUCIARY TITLE. ALL DONATIONS ARE MANAGED BY A FUND ADVISORY COMMITTEE. FRIENDS FIDUCIARY WORKS TO ENSURE THAT INVESTMENTS ARE IN UNITY WITH FRIENDS VIEWS ON PEACE, SOCIAL JUSTICE AND THE ENVIRONMENT. The 339 Manumissions and Beyond Project is a non-profit 501(c)(3).