New Philadelphia, Illinois is the first known town in the United States to have been established, planned, and registered by an African American man. The town, founded by “Free” Frank McWorter in 1836, reached its peak population in 1865 with 160 individuals and 29 households. It was a racially integrated community long before the Civil War.
Frank McWorter was born a slave in South Carolina. In his early twenties, he was able to purchase the freedom of his wife, Lucy, for $800. Two years later, he purchased his own for the same price. Eventually, Frank bought the freedom of at least 15 family members, including his children, by working at a saltpeter mine.… Read More
