The Pennsylvania Slave Trade
Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
African people, first enslaved by the Dutch and Swedes, survived the brutal voyage from Africa to the Caribbean islands and the Americas, debarking on the Delaware River waterfront as early as 1639. William Penn, other Quakers, and Philadelphia merchants purchased and enslaved Africans. As the institution of slavery increased, these courageous people persevered and performed integral roles in building Pennsylvania and the nation.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
This marker recalls the beginnings of slavery along the Delaware River, where enslaved Africans—first brought by Dutch and Swedish colonists—were landed on the Philadelphia waterfront as early as 1639. Even William Penn and other Quaker founders, later associated with abolition, bought and held enslaved people, and merchants profited from the trade. Despite brutal conditions, these enslaved men and women endured and did essential labor in building Pennsylvania and the young nation.
Why it matters
The marker confronts the uncomfortable truth that slavery took root even in Penn's "holy experiment," honoring the enslaved people whose forced labor helped build the state and the country.
Plan your visit
NearbyMake a day of it — museums, food, and places to stay near this marker.
Museums & culture
- Merchants' Exchange Building0.3 mi away · 143 South 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Independence Living History Center0.3 mi away
- Museum of the American Revolution0.3 mi away · 101 South 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Powel House0.4 mi away · 244 South 3rd Street
- Larry Becker Contemporary Art0.4 mi away · 43 North 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Science History Institute0.4 mi away · 315 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
Attractions
- USS Olympia0.2 mi away · South Christopher Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA
- USS Becuna0.2 mi away · South Christopher Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA
- City Tavern0.3 mi away · 138 South 2nd Street
- First Bank of the United States0.4 mi away · 120 South 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Carpenters' Hall0.4 mi away · 320 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Carousel0.5 mi away
Food & drink
- Olivier Cafe0.4 mi away · 50 South 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA
- FRIEDA0.4 mi away · 320 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
- National Mechanics0.4 mi away · 22 South 3rd Street, Philadelphia
- Menagerie Coffee0.4 mi away · 18 South 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA
- PrimoHoagies0.4 mi away · 304 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Buddakan0.4 mi away · 325 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
Places to stay
- Hilton Philadelphia at Penn's Landingnearby · 201 South Christopher Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA
- Philadelphia Marriott Old City0.2 mi away · 1 Dock Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Thomas Bond House0.2 mi away · 129 South 2nd Street, Philadelphia
- Penn's View Hotel0.3 mi away · 14 North Front Street, Philadelphia
- Apple Hostels0.3 mi away · 33 Bank Street, Philadelphia, PA
- Apple Hostels Philadelphia0.3 mi away · 32 South Bank Street, Philadelphia, PA
Places data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Hours and details change — call ahead.
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Related people
- · William Penn
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
The Liberation of Jane Johnson
Philadelphia, PA · est. 2009
In 1855, an enslaved woman named Jane Johnson and her two sons seized their freedom as their owner brought them through Philadelphia, aided by abolitionists William Still and Passmore Williamson and the Underground Railroad network. Williamson's refusal to produce them landed him in jail, and the resulting trial became a national sensation. The family eventually settled in Boston, free.
Pennsylvania Abolition Society
Philadelphia, PA · est. 1992
In 1775, as revolutionary fervor stirred Philadelphia, reformers founded an organization to defend free Black people who were being unlawfully seized and sold into bondage. Reorganized in 1787 as the Pennsylvania Abolition Society, it broadened its mission to press for education, employment, and opportunity for Black Americans. It became one of the earliest and most influential antislavery bodies in the young nation, counting figures like Benjamin Franklin among its supporters.
London Coffee House
Philadelphia, PA · est. 1991
Opened in 1754, the London Coffee House was a hub of colonial Philadelphia's political and mercantile life, where traders, officials, and townsfolk gathered to talk business and news. But its bustling floor carried a darker function: enslaved Africans, newly arrived by ship, were inspected and sold here at public auction. The site captures the uncomfortable truth that even in the cradle of American liberty, commerce and human bondage stood side by side.
Fraunces Tavern
Philadelphia, PA · est. 1991
On this spot stood a tavern kept by Samuel Fraunces, who had run a celebrated establishment in New York before following the new federal government to Philadelphia. From 1790 to 1794, while Philadelphia served as the nation's capital, Fraunces worked as George Washington's chief cook in the presidential household. His tavern and his kitchen placed him at the center of the young republic's political and social life.