Simeon Jocelyn (1799 – 1879) was an American minister, abolitionist, and activist known for promoting educational opportunities and civil and political rights for African Americans in New Haven, Connecticut , during the 19th century. He is also known for his attempt to establish the United States' first college for African Americans in New Haven, and for his role in the Amistad affair.
23-676: Jocelyn served as the first pastor of the Black congregation at the new Temple Street Church in New Haven, Connecticut . A former student at Yale College , Jocelyn was also the leading advocate for the establishment of an African-American college in New Haven. At the time there was no such college in the country, or anywhere else in the English-speaking world. Save a few exceptional cases, no college accepted African Americans as students. A few years later,
46-565: A Caribbean plantation. The Africans had been illegally abducted and traded by Portuguese slave hunters. En route to the Caribbean, the Africans rebelled against the captain of their ship and killed several of the kidnappers. The ship was eventually seized by the United States off the coast of Long Island, New York , and the Africans were imprisoned in New Haven. Although they were acquitted of murder,
69-406: A Caribbean plantation. The Africans had been illegally abducted and traded by Portuguese slave hunters. En route to the Caribbean, the Africans rebelled against the captain of their ship and killed several of the kidnappers. The ship was eventually seized by the United States off the coast of Long Island, New York , and the Africans were imprisoned in New Haven. Although they were acquitted of murder,
92-516: A controversy erupted over the Africans' status: were they free, according to U.S. law, which did not permit the importation of slaves? Or should they be forcibly transported back to their owners in the Spanish colony of Cuba? This debate immediately attracted the attention of prominent abolitionists. Simeon Jocelyn founded the Amistad Committee with Lewis Tappan and Joshua Leavitt . The goals of
115-405: A controversy erupted over the Africans' status: were they free, according to U.S. law, which did not permit the importation of slaves? Or should they be forcibly transported back to their owners in the Spanish colony of Cuba? This debate immediately attracted the attention of prominent abolitionists. Simeon Jocelyn founded the Amistad Committee with Lewis Tappan and Joshua Leavitt . The goals of
138-598: Is a historic church at 217 Dixwell Avenue in New Haven, Connecticut . Founded in 1820 as the African Ecclesiastical Society , the congregation has been a major part of African-American society in the city since then. Its current church building, completed in 1969, is a major local example of Brutalist architecture , designed by John M. Johansen . It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its architecture in 2018. The congregation
161-419: Is a large secondary meeting space on the lower level below the sanctuary. Jocelyn helped organize plans for a college in New Haven for African Americans that would have been the first in the United States. The plan drew opposition and a 700 to 4 vote against it. David Daggett , a founder of Yale Law School , former U.S. Senator, and former mayor of New Haven helped organized against it. Jocelyn resigned in
184-494: The 19th century. He is also known for his attempt to establish the United States' first college for African Americans in New Haven, and for his role in the Amistad affair. Jocelyn served as the first pastor of the Black congregation at the new Temple Street Church in New Haven, Connecticut . A former student at Yale College , Jocelyn was also the leading advocate for the establishment of an African-American college in New Haven. At
207-486: The 20th century, the church was included in efforts by the city to redevelop the Dixwell Avenue area. Prior to construction of the present building, the congregation was meeting in a building at 100 Dixwell Avenue. In the 1950s, the city embarked on an urban renewal project in the area, which included a major public space in the block bounded by Dixwell Avenue, Foote, Admiral, and Ashmun Streets. The new church building
230-565: The New Haven community on September 7, 1831. Tappan offered a subvention of $ 1,000, if the local whites would raise $ 9,000 and the Blacks $ 10,000. Unfortunately, this coincided with the news of Nat Turner's Rebellion of late August in Virginia—some newspapers put stories of the proposed college and the revolt side-by-side —heightening the fear of Blacks nationwide. Jocelyn's project was met with overwhelming opposition —the vote against it in New Haven
253-457: The New Haven community on September 7, 1831. Tappan offered a subvention of $ 1,000, if the local whites would raise $ 9,000 and the Blacks $ 10,000. Unfortunately, this coincided with the news of Nat Turner's Rebellion of late August in Virginia—some newspapers put stories of the proposed college and the revolt side-by-side—heightening the fear of Blacks nationwide. Jocelyn's project was met with overwhelming opposition—the vote against it in New Haven
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#1732906310862276-512: The committee were to endorse the freedom of the Africans and to fund the Africans' legal and living expenses. With the help of Jocelyn, the Africans won the case, with the Supreme Court ruling that the United States government must allow the Africans to return to their homeland. Jocelyn Square, in New Haven, is named for him. Dixwell Avenue Congregational United Church of Christ The Dixwell Avenue Congregational United Church of Christ
299-413: The main level of the building. The building is organized with a roughly circular center, or lantern, from which other elements radiate. The radiating elements have split-concrete sidewalls of varying heights, with two-story window bays at the ends. The central lantern functions as a light well for the main sanctuary. The outer elements include offices, classrooms, and other small meeting spaces, and there
322-525: The short-lived Oneida Institute and the Oberlin Collegiate Institute , predecessor of Oberlin College, decided to accept African Americans. The short-lived New-York Central College was the first to accept, from its opening day, both African Americans and women. Working closely with both William Lloyd Garrison and Arthur Tappan , he introduced his plan to create an African-American college to
345-604: The time there was no such college in the country, or anywhere else in the English-speaking world. Save a few exceptional cases, no college accepted African Americans as students. A few years later, the short-lived Oneida Institute and the Oberlin Collegiate Institute , predecessor of Oberlin College, decided to accept African Americans. The short-lived New-York Central College was the first to accept, from its opening day, both African Americans and women. Working closely with both William Lloyd Garrison and Arthur Tappan , he introduced his plan to create an African-American college to
368-643: The wake of the defeated plan. Jocelyn's home was attacked a few years later. A white mob destroyed a black-owned hotel, a black-owned property, and Arthur Tappan's summer home. There was no college for African Americans in the country until the black-owned Wilberforce University opened in Ohio in 1856. Daggett went on to preside over the prosecution of Prudence Crandall who ran the Canterbury Female Boarding School in Canterbury, Connecticut . Crandall
391-481: Was 700 to 4 —and he eventually was forced to resign from his position as pastor of the African-American church. Jocelyn's plan was so controversial that his house was later attacked by a white mob. The mob also destroyed a black-owned hotel, a black-owned property, and Arthur Tappan's summer home. The Oneida Institute , replaced by the Oberlin Collegiate Institute , was the one college Blacks could attend. There
414-417: Was 700 to 4—and he eventually was forced to resign from his position as pastor of the African-American church. Jocelyn's plan was so controversial that his house was later attacked by a white mob. The mob also destroyed a black-owned hotel, a black-owned property, and Arthur Tappan's summer home. The Oneida Institute , replaced by the Oberlin Collegiate Institute , was the one college Blacks could attend. There
437-736: Was arrested and tried in court for violating the Black Law, which prevented the teaching of "any colored person who is not an inhabitant of any town of this state" without the town's permission. Jocelyn organized during the La Amistad incident. He and his brother Nathan were involved with the Underground Railroad . Simeon Jocelyn Simeon Jocelyn (1799 – 1879) was an American minister, abolitionist, and activist known for promoting educational opportunities and civil and political rights for African Americans in New Haven, Connecticut , during
460-430: Was no college in the country just for African Americans until the black-owned Wilberforce University opened in Ohio in 1856. Even still, these events did not prevent Jocelyn from continuing to work as a conductor of the Underground Railroad . In addition, Jocelyn also helped build a racially-integrated neighborhood in New Haven. In 1839, several Cuban slave traders were transporting a group of 53 African captives to
483-427: Was no college in the country just for African Americans until the black-owned Wilberforce University opened in Ohio in 1856. Even still, these events did not prevent Jocelyn from continuing to work as a conductor of the Underground Railroad . In addition, Jocelyn also helped build a racially-integrated neighborhood in New Haven. In 1839, several Cuban slave traders were transporting a group of 53 African captives to
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#1732906310862506-405: Was organized by a group of 24 free African Americans and a white man, Simeon Jocelyn , in 1820. After first meeting on Temple Street, the congregation moved to Dixwell Avenue in the 1880s. In the 19th century, the church and its parishioners served as part of the Underground Railroad , and were active in protesting and supporting the Africans of La Amistad who were imprisoned in New Haven. In
529-420: Was to be one of the anchors of this development, and was ultimately the only major element of the redevelopment to be built beyond the plaza space. The entire development project was developed by architect John M. Johansen . The church has a sunken setting relative to the plaza and sited at the plaza's northwest corner. It is connected to the street and the plaza by pedestrian bridges, which provide entry into
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