The range of the Johnson Family’s antislavery involvement is extraordinary. Rowland Johnson’s roles are probably the most prominent. In addition to serving as an officer of the Junior Anti-Slavery Society, he was a member of the Association of Friends Committee on Requited Labor, secretary of the Upper Delaware Ward Anti-Slavery Society, a member of the Vigilance Committee of Philadelphia (who protected freedmen’s rights and resisted slave-catchers), a founder of the Longwood Yearly Meeting of Progressive Friends (who were militant abolitionists and whose participants included Oliver Johnson, Sojourner Truth, and Bartholomew Fussell among many others), and a Vice-President of the American Anti-Slavery Society (whose other officers included William Lloyd Garrison, Samuel May, Lucretia Mott, Robert Purvis, Thomas Garrett, and Wendell Phillips among other renowned abolitionists).23 Israel H. Johnson was also a founder and officer of the Junior Anti-Slavery Society, a manager of Philadelphia Free Produce Association (which boycotted the products of slave labor), a supporter of the Association of Friends for the Free Instruction of Adult Colored Persons, a manager of the Institute for Colored Young Men,*** an officer of the Friends Association of Philadelphia and Its Vicinity for the Relief of Colored Freedmen, and a manager of the Home for Aged and Infirm Colored Persons. 24 Elizabeth R. Johnson, sister of Rowland and Israel, was a member of the Germantown Freedman’s Aid Association and a contributor to the Ladies Union Bazaar Association Fair For the Benefit of the Colored Orphans Asylum25; Henrietta (Wolcott) Johnson, M.D., Rowland’s wife, was a founder of the Longwood Yearly Meeting of Progressive Friends26; and Mary (Marshall) Johnson, Israel’s spouse (whom he married in 1872), was a supporter of the Colored Orphans Asylum and a “liberal contributor” to the Home for the Aged and Infirm Colored Persons.
SOURCE: United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service National Form 10-900 USDI/NPS NRHP Registration Form (Rev. 8-86) OMB No. 1024-0018
In 2015 Johnson House voted to become an empathetic representative in the community – championing challenges directly, or, through other established entities — and formally
launched the CSA. CSA expands our programs by serving as “a place to engage the community, facilitate shared conversation, build advocacy, and act to address
contemporary issues that negatively impact communities.
Mission: Educate, train and empower everyday citizens in the Germantown area and beyond to address racial, economic, and social issues
Vision: Increase leadership capacity through education and advocacy that decreases racial, economic, and social injustices
Strategy: Build on the knowledge, history, and present day experiences of Johnson House and community partners to increase the number and capacity of leaders who are or want to
work on racial, economic, and social injustice issues
Actions: Train, mentor, support, reflect, evaluate, debrief
Core Values
Inspiring
Innovative
Empowering
Collaborative