Rules of Conventions – The “Conventions” of the Conventions: The Practices of Black Political Citizenship

This page presents a snapshot of how the rules which governed the practices of the conventions were shown in the minutes over a ten-year period (1833-1843). Although not all conventions recorded the minutes with the precision and clarity displayed by the 1833 Philadelphia Convention, there is some mention of the rules being adopted in the minutes of almost every Convention. The language that communicated these moments of rules adoption revealed how they were an integral part of how the Colored Conventions movement constituted itself as a political ritual in its very enactment. Despite not having political standing, these conventions constantly referred to the “rules and regulations of the last.”[1] Such statements created links between conventions and a sense of the work as a whole. However, the conventions did not simply adopt these rules without consideration, or simply as a routine. Rather, the debate and adaptation of the rules that would govern the proceedings was something of importance, and we can see changes that vary between locations over time.

document clipping of the rules of the 1833 Philadelphia Convention — “Minutes and proceedings of the Third annual Convention, for the Improvement of the Free People of Colour in these United States, :held by adjournments in the city of Philadelphia, from the 3d to the 13th of June inclusive, 1833.,” Philadelphia, PA.”

document clipping of the rules of the 1834 Ashubry Church NY Convention — “MINUTES OF THE FOURTH ANNUAL CONVENTION FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE FREE PEOPLE OF COLOUR, IN THE UNITED STATES; HELD BY ADJOURNMENTS IN THE ASBURY CHURCH, NEW YORK, FROM THE 2D TO THE 12TH OF JUNE, INCLUSIVE, 1834.”, “The rules and regulations of the previous convention are adapted for use at the 1834 Convention held at Asbury Church, NY.,”

document clipping of rules of the 1835 Philadelphia Convention — “MINUTES OF THE FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE FREE PEOPLE OF COLOUR IN THE UNITED STATES; HELD BY ADJOURNMENTS, IN THE WESLEY CHURCH, PHILADELPHIA; FROM THE FIRST TO THE FIFTH OF JUNE, INCLUSIVE; 1835.”, “1835 Philadelphia Convention, Reference to Rules and Regulations as continued from previous conventions.,”

document clipping of rules of the 1843 Troy NY Convention — “MINUTES OF THE NATIONAL CONVENTION OF COLORED CITIZENS; HELD AT BUFFALO; ON THE 15TH, 16TH, 17TH, 18TH, AND 19TH OF AUGUST 1843; FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONSIDERING THEIR MORAL AND POLITICAL CONDITION AS AMERICAN CITIZENS.”, “At the 1843 Troy Convention, a three-person Committee drafted the Rules that would govern the convention.”

References

[1] “MINUTES OF THE FOURTH ANNUAL CONVENTION FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE FREE PEOPLE OF COLOUR, IN THE UNITED STATES; HELD BY ADJOURNMENTS IN THE ASBURY CHURCH, NEW YORK, FROM THE 2D TO THE 12TH OF JUNE, INCLUSIVE, 1834.”