George T. Downing (1819-1903), son of restaurateur and abolitionist Thomas Downing. He was a civil rights leader and successful businessman himself. He was a member of the 1855 Colored National Convention and in 1857 he began and financed a successful nine-year campaign to integrate public schools in Newport, Providence, and Bristol. During the Civil War, he managed the members’ dining room in the House of Representatives. In 1865, he and others financed the purchase of land for Touro Park in Newport. He continued to fight for civil rights until his death in 1903.
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Researchers are advised that express written permission to reproduce, quote, or otherwise publish any portion or extract from this collection must be obtained from the University Library. Although Roger Williams University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. It is up to the researcher to determine the owners of the literary rights and to obtain any necessary permissions from them.
The bulk of the collection relates to George T. Downing’s interest in civil rights. There are several letters to him from prominent New England politicians, as well as letters to others fighting for racial equality. Among them is a letter of support from Ambrose E. Burnside. (While the letter does not identify a specific issue, given its date and creator, one can assume it concerns Downing’s efforts to desegregate schools.) Another letter of note comes from William Lloyd Garrison regarding the Haitian emigration scheme.
Gift from Daniel Tartaglia