During the periods of the Christiana rioting, Columbia, Pennsylvania had a few riots of their own. Many people tend to think that Columbia was too small of a town, and there were not enough reasons to be known for its rioting. Although Columbia was a small town, there were quite a few reasons to riot in the eyes of a lot of whites.
In 1726, Negro slaves accompanied Pennsylvania Quakers to land that is known today as Columbia, Pennsylvania. Since this town was one of the stops for slaves using the Underground Railroad, a lot of slaves began to settle there. The Negro population in Columbia started off with just a few people. About twenty years later, the numbers had risen to about forty dwellings and the population included 10 free Negroes and no slaves (Shirk 36). A lot of Negroes migrated from Maryland and Virginia via the railroads that lead into Columbia. Most of the Negroes were runaway slaves looking to find one of many job opportunities given by the Abolitionists in that town. Because of the success of these abolitionists, the Negro population increases even more. The figures in 1820 showed a population of 1092 Columbiansó288 were free Negroes and 64 were slaves (Shirk 36). Hope for a peaceful interracial community in the 1820ís looked good for abolitionists and Negroes.
However, as more and more Negroes became wealthy, a lot of jealousy in the hearts and eyes of the White residents started to surface. A lot of Whites could not accept the fact that there were some Negroes making more than, or living wealthier than they. In August of 1834, the first reported outbreaks of rioting hit the newspapers (Shirk 38). The evidence of the rioting had Negroes home windows being broken in several different places of the community. Before the riot, White residents assembled at a local meeting to discuss the possibilities of Negroes taking over the cityís labor and the owning of propertyómore than some of the povern-stricken Whites could afford (Shirk 39). The White residentís plans were to buy the property from the Negroes who owned any, then try to force them out of the town. Stephen Smith, in an effort to avoid any hostile reactions, decided to put his ownings up for sale.
The efforts of Smith's peace did not work. In October of 1934, there was a second wave of riots that prevailed in this racially divided town. However, this riot was not due to the weathinest of Negroes alone, but also due to rumors of the marriage of a Negro man and a White woman (Shirk 39). Around 1788, Germans and ScotsIrish settlers started to fill the city. A lot of them did not get into the racial barrier and treated everyone equal. They even chose to harbor any fugitive slaves until they got their freedom. This also caused a role in the tension because the mulatto race was on the rise.
The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 also played a part in the riots of Columbia. After the Whites found out that the Negroes had to prove their freedom to stay a citizen, they looked for whoever could not prove their freedom and tried to get them out of the town or use them as slaves. A young man named Bennet was apprehended by Squires and taken into custody. As soon as the other Negroes heard of the incident, they crowded in front of the Squireís office to demand the young manís freedom back. After a melee of threats, a Negro named Cole was accused of shooting and officer and seriously wounding him (Shirk 42). The Columbia Spy (a local newspaper) wrote that there was no evidence to the shooting of the squire. However, the Intelligencer believed, or accused Cole of doing so. After that standoff, the Negroes in the community pulled together and raised the money ($700) to purchase Bennetís freedom. A lot of the Whites were jealous and upset that a few Negroes could come together and raise $700 so easily. They felt that kind of money could help some of the povern-stricken Whites.
This little town went through a lot of uproars because of racial division and jealousy; however, it did not stop Negroes from settling in the town. In an 1850 consensus, a total population of 4140 Columbians had included 873 who claimed African descent (Shirk 42). The percentages of Negro property owners increased to 61, which indicated a steady growth of middle class Negroes (Shirk 42). Out of the 873 individuals who claimed African descent 549, or 67% were described as mulatto (Shirk 42). That gave further proof that not all Whites were for racial dominance.
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