The belief that Black people could not catch yellow fever
A belief of 1793, drawn from reports of earlier epidemics, that Black people could not catch yellow fever. Benjamin Rush urged Black Philadelphians to nurse the sick on the strength of it; many caught the fever and died.
Philadelphia in Terror, 1793
Mathew Carey, A Short Account of the Malignant Fever, Lately Prevalent in Philadelphia, third edition (1793) · November 1793, during the last weeks of the epidemic
When the yellow fever prevailed in South Carolina, the negroes, according to that accurate observer, dr. Lining, were wholly free from it.
When the yellow fever prevailed in South Carolina, the negroes, according to that accurate observer Dr. Lining, were wholly free from it.
We Have Seen More Humanity: An Answer to Carey
Absalom Jones and Richard Allen, A Narrative of the Proceedings of the Black People, during the Late Awful Calamity in Philadelphia (1794) · January 1794 (events of August–November 1793)
Early in September, a solicitation appeared in the public papers, to the people of colour to come forward and assist the distressed, perishing, and neglected sick; with a kind of assurance, that people of our colour were not liable to take the infection. Upon which we and a few others met and consulted how to act on so truly alarming and melancholy an occasion. After some conversation, we found a freedom to go forth, confiding in him who can preserve in the midst of a burning fiery furnace, sensible that it was our duty to do all the good we could to our suffering fellow mortals. We set out to see where we could be useful. The first we visited was a man in Emsley's alley, who was dying, and his wife lay dead at the time in the house, there were none to assist but two poor helpless children. We administered what relief we could, and applied to the overseers of the poor to have the woman buried. We visited upwards of twenty families that day — they were scenes of woe indeed! The Lord was pleased to strengthen us, and remove all fear from us, and disposed our hearts to be as useful as possible.
Early in September, a solicitation appeared in the public papers to the people of color to come forward and assist the distressed, perishing, and neglected sick, with a kind of assurance that people of our color were not liable to take the infection. Upon which we and a few others met and consulted how to act on so truly alarming and melancholy an occasion. After some conversation, we found a freedom to go forth, confiding in Him who can preserve in the midst of a burning fiery furnace, sensible that it was our duty to do all the good we could to our suffering fellow mortals. We set out to see where we could be useful. The first we visited was a man in Emsley’s Alley who was dying, and his wife lay dead at the time in the house; there were none to assist but two poor helpless children. We administered what relief we could, and applied to the overseers of the poor to have the woman buried. We visited upwards of twenty families that day. They were scenes of woe indeed! The Lord was pleased to strengthen us, and remove all fear from us, and disposed our hearts to be as useful as possible.
It is even to this day a generally received opinion in this city, that our colour was not so liable to the sickness as the whites. We hope our friends will pardon us for setting this matter in its true state.
It is even to this day a generally received opinion in this city that our color was not so liable to the sickness as the whites. We hope our friends will pardon us for setting this matter in its true state.