Race Street Friends Meetinghouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Race Street Meetinghouse
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(2013)
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 Location in Philadelphia
Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1515 Cherry Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Built | 1856 |
| NRHP reference No. | 93001610 |
| Added to NRHP | November 4, 1993 |
The Race Street Meetinghouse is a very old and still active building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is located at 1515 Cherry Street in the city's Center City area. This special building belongs to the Religious Society of Friends, also known as the Quakers. From 1857 to 1955, it was the main meeting place for a group of Quakers called the Hicksite sect.
Contents
The Race Street Meetinghouse: A Historic Place
The Race Street Meetinghouse is more than just a building; it's a place with a rich history. It played a big part in important social changes in America. It was a key location for people working to end slavery and gain equal rights for women. Because of its important role, it was named a National Historic Landmark in 1993. This means it's recognized as a place of national historical importance.
Building a Special Place
The Race Street Meetinghouse was built in 1856. It was designed to be a large and useful space for the Quaker community. The building is 131 feet long and 80 feet wide. It was built with two main meeting rooms, each about 36 feet high. The northern room was 60 by 80 feet, and the southern room was 46 by 80 feet. Both rooms had special "youth's galleries" on three sides, which were like balconies for younger people.
In between these two large meeting rooms, there was a three-story building. This part was 25 by 96 feet and had many rooms for committee meetings and other activities. The way it was built allowed different Quaker groups to use the space without getting in each other's way.
A Hub for Change: Women's Rights and Abolition
The Race Street Meetinghouse was very important for women who wanted to make a difference. It was a center for women's involvement in both the Quaker religion and in American political activism. Many famous leaders of the Women's Movement were connected to this meetinghouse.
These leaders included:
- Lucretia Mott: She was an abolitionist (someone who worked to end slavery) and a strong supporter of women's rights.
- Hannah Clothier Hull: She was a peace activist, meaning she worked to promote peace and prevent wars.
- Alice Paul: She was a leader in the fight for women's right to vote (suffrage) and wrote the Equal Rights Amendment, which aimed to give equal rights to all Americans regardless of sex.
The meetinghouse was recognized as a National Historic Landmark because of its role in ending slavery, helping women get the right to vote, and supporting the civil rights movement.
Today: A Center for Peace and Community
Today, the Race Street Meetinghouse is part of the Friends Center campus. This campus is home to several important Quaker and community organizations. These include the National Office of the American Friends Service Committee, which works for peace and social justice, and the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, a large Quaker group.
On the campus, you can also find a copy of a statue by Sylvia Shaw Judson. This statue honors Mary Dyer, a Quaker woman from the 1600s who was a "martyr." A martyr is someone who dies for their beliefs. The Friends Meeting Center, another building on the campus, was built in 1974.
See also
