PREFATORY NOTE.
Those friends of the Colored people of this city, who have visited their Week-day and First-day Schools for a number of past years, notice with pleasure their greatly improved condition. Those who have, for a like period, mingled with adults in their Evening Schools, Libraries, Literary Associations and Churches, are much gratified to see how steadily they advance in knowledge and refinement.
The want of well authenticated facts relative to the number, character and condition of their various schools, and the state of education among adults, as they were thirty or forty years ago, has long been seriously felt. By comparing the present with past periods of their history, such information would enable all concerned in vindicating the character and rights of this oppressed people more effectually to repel the slanders of their enemies, and to correct the erroneous impressions of some of their friends, respecting their readiness and capacity to acquire learning.
The facts having been collected by a personal canvass of a member of the Society, in whose ability and integrity they have full confidence, are believed to be correct.
Philadelphia, First month, (January,) 1856.
