Active in this work were the Yancy's, Charles and Walter, Gideon and
Charles Langston, (brothers of John M.), George Carey, Dennis Hill,
and chief among them, David Jenkins. Walter Yancy was the agent of
these men, travelling and organizing societies and schools,
collecting funds, etc.

As a result of this self-helping movement, a number of farming
communities were established, some of which accumulated large areas
of land, and in Cincinnati, The Iron Chest Company accumulated funds
and in 1840 erected a block of buildings which still stands.

Later, the action of the Convention was directed against the Black
Laws of Ohio. These were repealed in 1849, and colored children were
permitted to share in the benefits of the school funds, though in
separate schools. The same legislature elected Salmon P. Chase to the
United States Senate. The movement thus detailed was the result of a
bargain between the Democrats of Ohio and the Free Soilers.

Afterwards the force of these conventions was directed against
discriminations against colored people which still existed on the
statute books. Sometimes this force took the shape of petitions,
memorials, protests, and after the organization of the Ohio Equal
Rights League, it took the shape of legal proceedings, etc.

One of the most memorable of these conventions was held in 1852, when
John M. Langston delivered the best speech of his life, defending the
thesis, "there is a mutual repellency between the white and black
races of the world."

The materials for the speech were collected by Charles Langston, but
John made the speech. Time has vindicated the position taken by Mr.
Langston in that memorable address. It was the beginning of the
Emigration Movement in which Dr. Martin R. Delaney afterwards became
prominent.

Effective national conventions have not been numerous in the past
fifty years.

One of the most notable met at Rochester in 1852. Frederick Douglass
presided and I had the honor of being the secretary.

It was reported that Mrs. Stowe desired to give a portion of her
earnings from "Uncle Tom" for the founding of a school for the
benefit of the Afro-American, and this convention was called to
formulate an advisory plan.

The plan when formulated, was practically what Mr. Washington