06/19/2026
Happy Juneteenth!
Published in December 2025, the story "Sarah Mapps Douglass and the Truth of the Back Bench -- a story about making choices for yourself and for change" is available on the Faith & Play website.
"Wherever she went, whatever cause she was advocating for, when she went to Quaker meeting, Sarah would be pointed toward the back bench and told that it was the place for people with her skin color to sit in worship.
Sarah used her voice to protest.
She would teach others that making choices for another person is not freedom."
Have you heard of Sarah Mapps Douglass, a trailblazing Quaker educator, abolitionist, and writer who fought for freedom and equality?
Born into a prominent Black family in Philadelphia, she used her platform to empower others, founding schools for Black children and teaching health education to Black women. As a member of the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery Society, Douglass fearlessly advocated for the end of slavery, using her writings to expose injustice and uplift the humanity of all people.
Later in life, Douglass embraced Quakerism, finding inspiration in its commitment to peace, justice, and equality. Her faith deepened her activism, connecting her with the broader Quaker abolitionist movement. Through her work and beliefs, Douglass showed how education and advocacy could transform lives and drive meaningful change.
