# Lesson 3: Day 3 - The Vigilant Committee ## Google Doc of This Lesson [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WzdxCuRU9vXkJhOzj%5F3x81YV6qYke-hx6jSnAtlcYAQ/edit?tab=t.qmco3z5ba25z](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WzdxCuRU9vXkJhOzj%5F3x81YV6qYke-hx6jSnAtlcYAQ/edit?tab=t.qmco3z5ba25z) ## **Intro** Watch the [__Hawkins Family Video__](https://www.1838blackmetropolis.com/videos?wix-vod-video-id=6d5a3cb5f2d44f45855353ef44dabfbb&wix-vod-comp-id=comp-lmcaa8tx) to understand the scope of the Underground Railroad into Philadelphia.  ## **Activity 1: Major Players** **Overview:** In this small group activity, students explore the lives and contributions of key figures in Philadelphia’s Vigilant Committee to build background knowledge before reading a historical article. By creating brief biographical profiles, students gain insight into how individuals collectively organized to resist slavery and protect freedom seekers in 19th-century Philadelphia. **Time:** 20 minutes **Format:** Small Groups **Objective:** SWBAT identify a few of the major players who participated in the Vigilant Committee of Philadelphia and describe how collective resistance operated during the 1830s–1850s. * Divide the class into small groups of three to four students each, and assign each group historical figure: * * Robert Purvis [__What Resistance looked like in 1838 (Quinones, 2023)__](https://www.1838blackmetropolis.com/post/what-resistance-looked-like-in-1838) * Hetty Reckless [__In 1842 Hetty Reckless built a shelter in Philly for Black Women (Quinones, 2023)__](https://www.1838blackmetropolis.com/post/hetty-reckless-rises) * Jacob C. White, Sr. [__Finding Black-Led Creation and Use of Economic Instruments to support Freedom Seekers in 1840__](https://www.1838blackmetropolis.com/post/finding-black-led-creation-and-use-of-economic-instruments-to-support-freedom-seekers-in-1840) * Ralph Smith [__When the Quaker Light Burns out Black Resistance Strategies for Unearthing a More Inclusive Community Story (Jordon, 2024)__](https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/56/article/951500/pdf) * Dr. James and Eliza Bias [__James J.G Bias and Eliza Bias: Medical Care and Social Support for Freedom Seekers in 1838 (Quinones, 2023)__](https://www.1838blackmetropolis.com/post/james-j-g-bias-and-eliza-bias-medical-care-and-social-support-for-freedom-seekers-in-1838) * Note:  * * One historical figure can be assigned to multiple groups.  * Remind students that they can search for keywords (e.g. “Ralph”) to find the section(s) of the article that refer to the specific historical figure.  * Have each group create a digital ***Profile Card ***with the person’s name, image (if available), a five to seven sentence biography, and a quote or phrase that reflects their legacy. The Profile Card should answer the following questions: * * Who was this person? * What was their role in the 1838 Black Metropolis? * What risks or challenges did they face? * What makes their contribution to their community significant? ## **Activity 2: Read Aloud** **Overview:** In this whole-group read-aloud, students engage with an excerpt from *The Vigilant Committee of Philadelphia* (Borome et al., 1968) to explore how free Black Philadelphians organized to resist the enslavement of their counterparts through structured, community-based action. Through collective reading and discussion, students analyze the risks, leadership, and long-term impact of the Committee’s work. **Time:** 25 minutes **Format:** Whole Group  **Objective:** SWBAT investigate how the Vigilant Committee functioned as a form of organized Black resistance by interpreting key excerpts and participating in a guided discussion about leadership, risk, and collective action in 19th-century Philadelphia. * Project [__The Vigilant Committee of Philadelphia (Borome et al., 1968)__](https://hsp.org/sites/default/files/pmhbvigilantcommitteereading_1.pdf) * * Print or share a digital copy of the reading so students can follow along during the read aloud.  * Read p. 320 to the first paragraph of p. 328 aloud.  * * Invite student volunteers to read sections of the article aloud.  * Summarize the article:  * * **The Vigilant Committee was a coordinated, Black-led organization that helped freedom seekers escape slavery** – The Committee wasn’t just informal aid—it was **systematic and structured**, with a treasurer, sub-committees, and assigned roles. * **William Still played a critical role as both an organizer and record keeper** – Still documented hundreds of escape stories in detail, showing how **everyday people contributed to historic acts of resistance**—his notes are now some of the most important records of the Underground Railroad. * **The Committee used donations from both Black and white allies, but leadership and day-to-day work was rooted in Black Philadelphia** – This shows the **central role of free Black communities** in building and sustaining resistance networks. * **Vigilant Committee members took enormous personal risks** – Helping fugitives was illegal; members risked **fines, violence, and arrest**—and did it anyway. * **This was more than charity—it was political and moral resistance** – Committee members weren’t just helping individuals; they were part of a **larger abolitionist strategy** to defy unjust laws and confront the violence of slavery. * Ask the following discussion questions: * * Why do you think members of the Vigilant Committee were willing to risk their safety and freedom to help others? What values or beliefs might have motivated them? * William Still kept detailed records even though doing so was dangerous. Why might documenting these stories have been just as important as helping people escape? * How does the structure of the Vigilant Committee challenge stereotypes about Black communities in the 1800s? What does it reveal about their leadership, organization, and strategy? * What connections can you draw between the work of the Vigilant Committee and how communities today resist injustice or protect one another? [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WzdxCuRU9vXkJhOzj%5F3x81YV6qYke-hx6jSnAtlcYAQ/edit?tab=t.qmco3z5ba25z](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WzdxCuRU9vXkJhOzj%5F3x81YV6qYke-hx6jSnAtlcYAQ/edit?tab=t.qmco3z5ba25z) --- **Documents** - [L3:3 - Underground Railroad Video](https://1838blackmetropolis.getoutline.com/s/aa099d92-e5c1-4fa9-ad54-9fd69ac27a28/doc/l33-underground-railroad-video-EvejS5Jwlb) - [L3:3 The Vigilant Committee](https://1838blackmetropolis.getoutline.com/s/aa099d92-e5c1-4fa9-ad54-9fd69ac27a28/doc/l33-the-vigilant-committee-WNBV3XFiTm) - [L3:3 James J.G. Bias and Eliza Bias](https://1838blackmetropolis.getoutline.com/s/aa099d92-e5c1-4fa9-ad54-9fd69ac27a28/doc/l33-james-jg-bias-and-eliza-bias-ddKFE2goJz) - [L3:3 When the Quaker Light Burns out: Black Resistance Strategies](https://1838blackmetropolis.getoutline.com/s/aa099d92-e5c1-4fa9-ad54-9fd69ac27a28/doc/l33-when-the-quaker-light-burns-out-black-resistance-strategies-RtKDgaAoDY) - [L3:3 Economic Instruments to Support Freedom Seekers](https://1838blackmetropolis.getoutline.com/s/aa099d92-e5c1-4fa9-ad54-9fd69ac27a28/doc/l33-economic-instruments-to-support-freedom-seekers-2NmoaHO41M) - [L3:3 An 1843 Shelter for Black Women by Black Women](https://1838blackmetropolis.getoutline.com/s/aa099d92-e5c1-4fa9-ad54-9fd69ac27a28/doc/l33-an-1843-shelter-for-black-women-by-black-women-0NF7HGpL5w) - [L3:3 What Resistance Looked LIke in 1838](https://1838blackmetropolis.getoutline.com/s/aa099d92-e5c1-4fa9-ad54-9fd69ac27a28/doc/l33-what-resistance-looked-like-in-1838-dTZn9LZaFr) - [L3:3 Extras - Underground Railroad Statistics](https://1838blackmetropolis.getoutline.com/s/aa099d92-e5c1-4fa9-ad54-9fd69ac27a28/doc/l33-extras-underground-railroad-statistics-bGfASZdu8Z)