Revisiting History It all started on the former cruise ship also known as the USS Dorchester, which was used as an American troop ship in World War II. With over 900 men on board including the four chaplains, a German submarine U-223 fired three torpedoes at it and one hit the midsection. Artifacts on display at the chapel.
Remembering the Chapel of Four Chaplains Story by: IMANI FOREMAN Parkway West High School Photo by: ALEXA HCKLIN Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush
One February day, 77-years ago George
As the ship was sinking at an increasingly fast pace, the four chaplains began handing out life jackets in an attempt to keep the men calm. When the supply of jackets ran out, the four courageous men took their jackets off and gave them out to soldiers without regard to race or faith. According to witnesses, these four men were last seen linking arms and praying, each in their own way, as they went down with the ship.
from those four brave men.
Patricia M. Aversa has been Program Coordinator of Friends of the Chapel of Four Chaplains for nine years. Before becoming the Program Coordinator for this facility located in Philadelphia’s Navy Yard, Aversa worked as a bank teller for 26 years. After her bank was robbed for the fifth time she realized it was time for her to pursue a new career that eventually led her to the Chapel of Four Chaplains. Aversa, who has two uncles in the Navy who fought in World War II, loves her job because she loves dealing with people. The job, she said, “is very close to my heart” and described it as “such a peaceful place.” However, she wishes they had more visitors. According to FourChaplains.org, the vision of the chaplains’ memorial is to impart the principles of selfless service to humanity without regard to race, creed, ethnicity or religious beliefs. Its mission statement is “unity without uniformity” which encourages goodwill and cooperation among all people.
L. Fox, Alexander D. Goode, Clark V. Poling and John P. Washington changed history. Perhaps it’s time to revisit the story of these four chaplains: men who came from different religious backgrounds and are now long forgotten.
Today at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, a former Navy chapel has been designated to show gratitude, honor and appreciation for those four religious men. This small chapel, named The Chapel of Four Chaplains, is filled with pictures, biographies and quotes
Shackled at The President’s House
freedom that America’s first president would not give them.
of the wealth that helped America become a powerful nation.
“Blacks represent the true meaning of freedom. They were always trying to figure out how to get free,” Karen Warrington said.
General George Washington helped
Warrington was a member of the official oversight committee responsible for the erection of the first memorial on federal property recognizing slavery along with the re-creation of America’s first White House here in Philadelphia -- the President’s House.
Those two slaves who escaped President Washington were named Hercules and Oney Judge. Hercules was a famous cook and Oney Judge was the maid of Washington’s wife.
Story by: TANISHA LAMPART Bok Technical High School Photo by: JOVAN LONGS-TUCKER Central High School
America win its freedom from England. But when Washington served as the first president of the United States and lived in Philadelphia, he also held slaves. Washington lived in a mansion located on Market Street near 6th Street now known as the President’s House. Washington held nine slaves in that house while presiding in Philadelphia along with two white indentured servants. Two of those slaves escaped gaining the 8
The enslavement of African Americans was legal in all thirteen of the American colonies before the Revolutionary War. Slavery existed in the United States until the end of the Civil War. Whites had large sums of money invested in getting African Americans into slavery which produced a lot
Temple University High School Press | Summer 2012
Before its current location, the Chapel of
Judge fled when the Washingtons were planning to return to Virginia. She feared being gifted to the First Lady’s granddaughter as a wedding present and thought if she returned to Virginia she would never be free. She escaped to freedom from Philadelphia in late May or June, 1796. She died in Greenland, New Hampshire on February 25, 1848. Hercules escaped to freedom from Washington’s Virginia plantation, Mount Vernon, in 1799.
Four Chaplains was located at the Original Baptist Temple Building on Broad and Berks street in North Philadelphia. Twelve years ago this chapel was permanently moved to the small historical site at the Navy Yard that was initially built in 1942. Although this chapel does not have worship services, people do rent the chapel for different events such as weddings, baptisms and recently a couple came back to take pictures for their anniversary. Other than the occasional events, the chapel gets very few visits these days. However, that may change because the chapel is now an officially registered as a national historic building, a status expected to generate more visits and attention. In the past, The Chapel of Four Chaplains has had multiple programs and even scholarships. The non-profit organization Friends of the Chapel of the the Four Chaplains helps spread the word about cultural harmony and religious tolerance. For more information you can visit: www.fourchaplains.org/newsevents.html.
The stories of Oney Judge, Hercules and the other slaves Washington held in the President’s House are important for both history and inspiring people today said attorney Michael Coard, who led a Philadelphia activists’ organization that helped push the federal government to build the slave’s memorial at the President’s House located next to the Liberty Bell. Coard said now that children visiting the Liberty Bell, particularly black children, can see that blacks always fought for freedom -- a story that rarely gets told. tuhspress2012.wordpress.com