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Reference Parsippany, NJ. African School, ca. 1817-1823
Established in 1816 by the Presbyterian Synod of New Jersey and New York, the African School(s) were to train African-American males for missionary work in Africa and the Caribbean. The schools were supported by African Associations, whose members paid semi-annual dues of fifty cents [New Brunswick Association constitution]. In Morris County, it was the Morris Society for Instructing People of Colour (see call to annual meeting, Oct. 16, 1818, Palladium of Liberty.)The Parsippany school, at the Parsippany Presbyterian Church [church history*] under Rev. John Ford, seems to have faded as the Newark and New Brunswick African Associations began to support their own local schools.

These materials are in the Morris County Library archives; see also Alexander Library, Rutgers University, the Princeton Theological Seminary and the Schomburg Center of the New York Public Library for further research.

  1. An Address to the public on the subject of the African School, lately established under the care of the Synod of New-York and New-Jersey. By the directors of the Institution.
    New York: printed by J. Seymour, 49 [illeg] Street. 1816 [Address signed by school board president James Richards and secretary Edward Dorr Griffin, Newark, NJ, Oct. 29, 1816.]
  2. African Association, New Brunswick, NJ. Constitution and minutes, 1817-1823. Includes January 1821 letter to the Association from Parsippany student Gustavus V. Ceasor. Note: Morris County Library copy missing page three of the constitution. See archives at Rutgers University, Special Collections, Alexander Library. Item M50.
  3. [Anonymous.] History of the African School, 11 page typescript with bibliography. Possibly written by Stanley F. or (Mrs. Stanley) Frances Kaminski, members Parsippany Troy Hills Historical Society.
  4. Griffin, Edward Dorr, 1770-1837.
    pages 68-76, even and pages 67-75, odd pages.
    "An Account of the African School", from A Plea for Africa: a sermon preached October 26, 1817, in the First Presbyterian Church in the City of New-York, before the Synod of New-York and New-Jersey, at the Request of the Board of Directors of the African School established by the Synod.” by Edward D. Griffin, D.D. Pastor of the Second Presbyterian Church in Newark, New-Jersey.
    Published by the Board. New-York: Gould,, Printer, Chatham St., 1817. pp. 65-76
    Also 1987 Chadwyck-Healey microfiche and on microfilm, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, series 2, section 2, reel 13, no. 2, New York Public Library.
  5. Miller, Samuel
    A Sermon preached at New-ark, October 22d, 1823, before the Synod of New-Jersey, for the benefit of the African School, under the care of the Synod, by Samuel Miller, D.D. Professor in the Theological Seminary at Princeton. Trenton, printed by George Sherman, 1823.
    Excerpt notes School is failing for lack of support. Library copy of the sermon ends page 25.
  6. Spring, Gardiner, 1785-1873.
    Memoirs of the Rev. Samuel J. Mills, late missionary to the southwestern section of the United States, and agent of the American colonization society, deputed to explore the coast of Africa. By Gardiner Spring. New-York, New-York evangelican missionary society, J. Seymour printer, 1820. pp. 121-124 on the African School.
  7. see also:
    Ball, Annette C., History of the Parsippany, New Jersey Presbyterian Church, from the first log structure to the present time. Prepared for the Centennial celebration, June 17-20, 1928. Morris County Library NJ 285.17497 BAL (Local history collection.) Does not discuss the African School.
  8. Condit, Estell T. Parsippany Presbyterian parish history, 1755-1955. 1955.
    (Morris County Library and HeritageQuest) Biography of school head Rev. John Ford, p. 21

See also records of the American Colonization Society, especially in the US Library of Congress. The "Plea for Africa" sermon title used by Griffin on behalf of the African School in 1817 was carried forward by the Society, in later addresses.
Bacon, Leonard, 1802-1881. A plea for Africa; delivered July 4, 1825
(New Haven, CT: printed by T.G. Woodward and co., 1825) [On behalf of the American Colonization Society.]
See page 19, references to "seminary" and "school."
Maffitt, John Newland, 1794-1850. A plea for Africa, A sermon delivered at Bennet street church, in behalf of the American colonization society, July 4, 1830. Bennet Street Church, John Maffit. (Boston: EW Crittenden, 1830.)
Freeman, Frederick, 1799-1883. A plea for Africa ... (Philadelphia, PA: J. Whetham, 1837)

Records of Morris County Presbyterian churches, 1797-1819, held by NJ Historical Society

*Church history from Inventory of the Church Archives of NJ: Presbyterians, US Works Projects Administration, New Jersey Historical Records Survey Project, published Newark, NJ, 1940.

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Morris County Library, NJ
18 December 2008