Harper-Furness Racial Justice Group
Mission Statement
Harper-Furness Racial Justice Action Group
First Unitarian Universalist Church of Philadelphia
The mission of the Harper-Furness Racial Justice Action Group of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Philadelphia is to work toward a fair and just society for persons of all races. In our name, we honor our forbearers who struggled to free African-Americans from the bondage of slavery, yet we realize the continuing need to effect change in our own hearts, our church, our city, and our nation.
Drawing on our Spiritual sources, we strive to work in unity and harmony, energized by love and commitment to each other and to our UUA principles. We work to achieve this mission through worship, self-exploration, education, and non-violent social action.We strive to achieve a Beloved Community where people of all backgrounds are valued and loved, where fulfillment of human potential is a right and not a privilege, where communication and understanding replace ignorance and fear.
We are an ongoing group that addresses race and racism in our community. We seek to nurture an ethos of respect, caring, and commitment to racial justice in our church as well as in the broader society. For more information, contact Anthony through the Church Office.
We currently meet with the Social Justice Ministry Team on the Fourth Sunday of each Month, beginning at 12:30 PM.
The Harper-Furness Racial Justice Action Group is an ongoing committee that addresses race and racism in our lives. We are currently meeting jointly with the Social Justice Ministry Team to work on the Journey Towards Wholeness initiative.
Frances Ellen Watkins Harper
1825 - 1911
Born in Baltimore, Harper was the most important and the most popular black female abolitionist writer and activist of the 19th century.
Her literary contributions, coupled with her active participation in political movements such as abolition, suffrage, temperance, and education, earned her a national reputation.
She eventually settled in Philadelphia, at 1006 Bainbridge Street, and became a prominent member of our congregation. At her death, funeral services were held in our sanctuary on February 26, 1911.
William Henry Furness
1802 - 1895
Born in Boston in 1802, Furness was a graduate of Harvard's Theological Department, and a close friend of many of the American Transcendentalists. (Particularly Ralph Waldo Emerson.)
Interestingly enough, he was our first full-time minister, and we were his first (and only) church. During his tenure as our minister (1825-75) he became nationally noted for his devotion to the abolitionist cause. He was an early champion for the rights of all Americans, including African-Americans and Jews.
His sermons were so zealous that members of the congregation feared armed reprisals from southern sympathizers, and at one point, President Buchanan's cabinet debated arresting him for treason due to his attacks on the Fugitive Slave Law.
His two sons also achieved a high degree of prominence while members of our church. Frank Furness is nationally known as one of the most original and influential American architects of the Victorian era (he also designed our current building- which is a designated landmark). Horace Howard Furness was active in a number of fields, including literature, the arts, and education. (Many of his Shakespearean works can still be obtained through out-of-print book dealers.) There is still a school in South Philadelphia named for him.
Ongoing Mission of the Harper-Furness Racial Justice Group
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Provide racial connections
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Confront hate crimes and violence
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Promote positive images in the media
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Promote economic justice
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Address profiling and police brutality based on race
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Celebrate interracial relationships and marriages
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Provide youth education on race
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Demand a fair criminal justice system
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Deal with race relations among sexual orientations
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