Advocating the Dream: 7 notable mass gatherings of the Civil Rights Movement

Colored Convention — 1830

In response to anti-black violence in Ohio during the late 1820s, a group of prominent northern African American leaders gathered at Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for the inaugural National Colored Convention.

Brought together by AME Church Bishop Richard Allen, a key agenda item was deciding whether there should be a mass migration to Canada to flee racist violence in the United States.

While delegates ultimately decided against creating a settlement in Canada, they did encourage calls for greater equality and paved the way for future convention events.

“Launched during an important period of black political activism, the national Colored Convention movement created a stronger collective voice among African Americans and a forum for devising national strategies to confront the growing racial hostility,” explained The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia.

“Although the convention movement did not end slavery or gain equal rights for African Americans, by the outbreak of the Civil War some other notable goals were achieved.”