Free Frank Commemorative United States Postal Stamp

I am writing in support of a United States postal stamp being issued to commemorate the founding of New Philadelphia, Illinois, the first town to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places founded by an African-American. New Philadelphia, Illinois was founded by Free Frank McWorter—an extraordinary antebellum African-American pioneer businessman, entrepreneur and town founder.  The slave-born Free Frank McWorter (1777-1854) holds the historic distinction of being the first African American town founder.  In 1836, he legally platted the frontier town of New Philadelphia, Illinois which in August became the 1st black town to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Also, over a period of 40 years, with profits generated from various enterprises, as both a slave and free black pioneer entrepreneur, Free Frank purchased 16 family members, including himself, from slavery. The total cost, $15,000, adjusting for inflation and the devaluation of the dollar, today, would be $250,000.

The history of New Philadelphia, Illinois is found in a carefully researched book, by Dr. Juliet E.K.Walker, Free Frank’s great great granddaughter which provides the only documented study of Free Frank’s economic life and his town of New Philadelphia- Free Frank: A Black Pioneer on the Antebellum Frontier (Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1983, 1995), In 1988 Dr. Walker had the gravesite of her  great great grandfather placed in the National Register of Historic Places, one of only three Illinois gravesites listed in the National Register. The other two are President Abraham Lincoln and Illinois Senator Stephen Douglas.   

New Philadelphia Illinois’ selection by the CSAC to appear on a United States Postal Stamp will be one of many steps to preserve the history of the founding of this historic town in America’s history.