Why Do Free African-Americans Achieve Their Potential For Equality?

Nevertheless, progress was being made elsewhere, with the ever-increasing population of free African-Americans forming their own communities. During a time of racial hostility and exclusion, the elites of the community decided on a plan of action to demonstrate blacks' potential for equality by counteracting the racial prejudice through moral elevation. As a result, a host of community institutions was built to foster concern with moral uplift, including several different kinds of churches, as well as insurance agencies, educational charities, mutual aid organizations, literary societies, etc. The free blacks of New York even staged public processions, demanding equality.