Black history is deeply woven into the fabric of Pittsburgh, shaping the city’s culture, economy, and social progress. From the early days of the Underground Railroad to the rise of Black leaders in business, education, and the arts, Pittsburgh has long been a hub for Black excellence and resilience.
An aerial view of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Early History and the Underground Railroad
Early Black history in Pittsburgh has not been as well documented as it could have been. Records show that in 1755, General Edward Braddock had several Black members in his army when he was dispatched by the British to take Fort Duquesne, which is now Pittsburgh, from the French. Most were wagoners and drivers. Samuel Jenkins, a man enslaved by Captain Broadwater of Virginia, drove the army’s provision train. According to WPA History, Billy Brown, Jack Miner, Abraham Lawrence, and Archibald Kelso were in the company and enslaved by Captain Walker.
During the 19th century, Pittsburgh played a crucial role in the Underground Railroad. The city’s location near the Mason-Dixon Line made it a key stop for enslaved individuals seeking freedom. In addition to being a stop along the way, Pittsburgh became a place where many formerly enslaved individuals settled and built new lives. In the early 1800s, more Black people migrated northward. Arthursville became a major stop on the Underground Railroad. Lewis Woodson, a barber, educator, and minister; John B. Vashon, the wealthiest Black man in Pittsburgh; and John Peck, owner of the downtown oyster house, were all agents for the Underground Railroad.
John B. Vashon was born in 1792 to a free Black woman and the son of her former enslaver. He fought in the War of 1812, during which he was captured and imprisoned by British soldiers for two years. After his release, Vashon settled in Virginia and married. He was a founder of the Pittsburgh African Education Society which established a school for Black youth excluded from public education. In the basement of his bathhouse, he operated a stop for enslaved men, women and children on the Underground Railroad in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh. Vashon died in 1853.
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On the North Side, which was then known as Allegheny City, there were also two stops on the Railroad. Avery College, a vocational school for Black people, and the Felix Bruno mansion also conducted freedom seekers. Because of its secrecy, it’s yet to be known how many enslaved people escaped through the Underground Railroad. Still, some have estimated that 100,000 enslaved people escaped through it, most likely only 10 percent making it all the way to Canada. Many who didn’t go to Canada settled in Pittsburgh in areas like Arthursville.
This area of Pittsburgh flourished until the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was enacted. The act permitted the recapture of freedom seekers. Black entrepreneurs, educators, and activists emerged, contributing to the city’s economic and social fabric.
Logo of the Western Pennsylvania African-American Historical & Genealogical Society (WPAAHGS)
The Hill District: A Cultural and Entrepreneurial Hub
Pittsburgh’s Hill District has long been recognized as a center for Black culture and entrepreneurship. The other great Renaissance of black culture, influence, and glamour burst forth joyfully in what may seem an unlikely place - Pittsburgh, PA - from the 1920s through the 1950s. Beyond music, the Hill District was a beacon for Black-owned businesses, newspapers, and social organizations.
One of Pittsburgh’s most celebrated figures, August Wilson, immortalized the Black experience in Pittsburgh through his renowned Pittsburgh Cycle plays. Born and raised in the Hill District, Wilson’s work, including “Fences” and “The Piano Lesson,” captured the struggles, triumphs, and everyday lives of Black Pittsburghers. His ability to weave history, culture, and personal narratives into his plays earned him two Pulitzer Prizes and a lasting legacy in American theater. Today black Pittsburgh is known as the setting for August Wilson's famed plays about noble but doomed working-class strivers.
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August Wilson on His Pittsburgh Cycle
Civil Rights and Community Impact
Pittsburgh was also a battleground for civil rights activism. During the 1960s, Black Pittsburghers organized protests and pushed for economic and social equity. Major protests were held when the demolition of the Hill District - the area’s most prominent Black neighborhood - began for construction of the Civic Arena. The fight for fair housing, employment opportunities, and educational access remains a critical part of Pittsburgh’s history. During the 1950s and ’60s, Black people in Pittsburgh joined the fight for Civil Rights, achieving goals of desegregating swimming pools and other public places, and enactment of fair employment and housing laws.
In the 1960s, the Freedom House Ambulance Service in Pittsburgh became the first emergency medical service (EMS) to train Black paramedics and set the standard for modern EMS systems nationwide. Created in response to inadequate emergency care for Black communities, Freedom House pioneered advanced medical training that is now a global standard.
Pittsburgh played a significant role in Black baseball history. The Pittsburgh Crawfords and the Homestead Grays were two of the most dominant teams in the Negro Leagues, producing legendary players like Josh Gibson and Satchel Paige.
Daisy Lampkin was an inspiration in both civil rights and women’s rights movements. As a leader in the NAACP, she was instrumental in expanding membership and fundraising efforts, advocating for Black voting rights and economic opportunities. She also played a significant role in the National Association of Colored Women, using her voice to push for gender and racial equity.
Charles “Teenie” Harris, one of the most important photographers of the 20th century, captured Black life in Pittsburgh through his work with the Pittsburgh Courier.
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When Ormes - born Zelda Mavin Jackson in 1911- was in high school, she approached the Pittsburgh Courier for a job. Her first comic strip “Torchy Brown in ‘Dixie to Harlem’” ran in 1937, focusing on what happens when a country girl relocates to a big city. Comic strip characters created by Ormes - Torchy Brown, Patty-Jo, Candy and Ginger - were spunky, politically aware, ambitious, glamorous and socially conscious. At one point, “Patti-Jo ‘n’ Ginger” was syndicated to 14 cities with editions of the Courier and read by an audience of over 300,000 readers, according to Nancy Goldstein who wrote “Jackie Ormes: The First African-American Woman Cartoonist.”
The abolitionist movement led to the founding of the Republican Party, and Pittsburgh played a significant role in the party’s early years, hosting the first-ever national convention in 1856. Pennsylvania had the second-highest enlistment of Union soldiers at 340,000, with 8,600 being Black. Army, Martin Delany, came from Pittsburgh.
Between 1910 and 1930, Pittsburgh’s Black population grew from 25,000 to 55,000. The growing Black community established the Pittsburgh Crawfords, the Homestead Grays, The Pittsburgh Courier, the NAACP, the Urban League, and many Black churches.
The Double V Campaign and World War II
Pittsburgh’s African American population in the 1940s grew from 62,000 to 86,000 (plus surrounding mill towns). This increase was seen in African Americans composing 8.2% of Pittsburgh’s population in the 1930 census, to about 12% in the 1950 census. During World War II, African Americans in Pittsburgh contributed significantly to the war effort on the home front. They faced discrimination but were motivated by the Double V campaign, which aimed for victory against both fascism abroad and racism at home.
Executive Order 8802, issued by President Roosevelt in 1941, prohibited discrimination in defense industries and government employment based on race, creed, color, or national origin. Despite this, challenges persisted, and the Double V campaign emerged as a response to these issues.
The Pittsburgh Courier played a crucial role in promoting the Double V campaign. This campaign sought to achieve two victories: one against fascism abroad and another against discrimination at home. The Courier used its platform to highlight the contributions of African Americans to the war effort and to challenge racial injustices.
Double V Campaign
Contemporary Landmarks and Cultural Centers
In addition to Freedom Corner, one of the newest venues to visit in Pittsburgh that celebrates Black History and culture is the August Wilson African American Culture Center, which opened on September 17, 2009. For over a decade, the non-profit August Wilson African American Cultural Center has embraced Wilson’s magnificent legacy. The future of dance is taking center stage in Pittsburgh as the August Wilson African American Cultural Center proudly presents Ailey II: The Next Generation of Dance.
Black history is not just about the past - it continues to shape and enhance Pittsburgh’s future. Every day, Black leaders continue to make history, impacting lives through Pittsburgh nonprofit organizations. As we honor Black history in Pittsburgh, we recognize that the journey toward equity and justice is ongoing. The contributions of Black Pittsburghers, past, present, and future, continue to inspire progress, innovation, and resilience.
| Historical Period | Key Events/Figures | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| 19th Century | Underground Railroad, John B. Vashon | Safe passage for enslaved individuals, establishment of schools for Black youth |
| Early 20th Century | The Hill District, August Wilson | Flourishing Black culture, entrepreneurship, and artistic expression |
| Mid 20th Century | The Pittsburgh Courier, Daisy Lampkin, Charles "Teenie" Harris | Civil Rights advocacy, journalism, photography |
| 1940s | Double V Campaign | Challenging racial discrimination during World War II |
| Contemporary | August Wilson African American Culture Center | Preserving and celebrating Black culture and history |
