New York African Free Schools and Their Convention Legacies

Virtual Library

This virtual library allows visitors to examine some of the texts that students at the NYAFS studied as part of their “intellectual and moral” education. Included, too, is a copy of Headmaster Charles A. Andrews’ The History of the New York African Free Schools, which outlined the pedagogical practices of the school and contains records of student achievement.

To browse these books, click on the title to go to the embedded version on the page. The embedded version has search, zoom, and plain-text options enabled for accessibility. Links to these works are also included in the bibliography below.

Book List

Charles C. Andrews, The History of the New-York African Free-Schools.

A Short System of Polite Learning

Caleb Bingham, The American Preceptor

Richard Cobbold, A Father’s Legacy to His Children

J. Joyce, Scientific Dialogues Intended for the Instruction and Entertainment of Young People

Murray Lindley, The English Reader

Travels at Home and Voyages by the Fire-side

J.L. Comstock, Youth’s Book of Natural Philosophy

 

Credits

Researched and written by Amy Fehr. Edited by Simone Austin & Kelli Coles.

Resources

Andrews, Charles C. The History of the New-York African Free-Schools. New York, 1830. Hathitrust, Link

A Short System of Polite Learning. Philadelphia, 1835. Archive, Link

Bingham, Caleb. The American Preceptor. Cincinnati, Ohio, 1825. Hathitrust, Link

Cobbold, Richard. A Father’s Legacy to His Children. London, 1850. Hathitrust, Link

Joyce, J. Scientific Dialogues Intended for the Instruction and Entertainment of Young People. London, 1852. Archive, Link

Lindley, Murray. The English Reader. Philadelphia, 1826. Hathitrust, Link

Travels at Home and Voyages by the Fire-Side. Vol. 1, Philadelphia, 1816. Archive, Link

Comstock, J.L. Youth’s Book of Natural Philosophy. Hartford, 1838. Archive, Link