Family & Community Day
In collaboration with the Route 9 Library & Innovation Center and Christina Cultural Arts Center, the Mitchell Center and Delaware Historical Society had our first Family and Community Day program in celebration of August Quarterly. Guests learned about August Quarterly through the images and objects in our “Forging Faith and Community” exhibit in the Mitchell Center while enjoying story time and creating crafts.
What Is August Quarterly?
The August Quarterly is an African American religious festival that has been celebrated annually in Wilmington, Delaware for over 150 years. It was first organized by Peter Spencer, “father of the independent Black church movement,” in 1814. Described as “A spectacular expression of both worship and culture,” August Quarterly offered opportunities for preaching, singing, prayer meetings, and other forms of worship. In antebellum times, it was a gateway to freedom for enslaved people from the upper South. Churches of various denominations have participated in the festival, which has attracted thousands of people from throughout the region. The August Quarterly continues to be celebrated to this day.
You can visit augustquarterly.org for more information on the August Quarterly.
You can view more historical photographs from the August Quarterly at the Delaware Historical Society’s Digital Collections site. We look forward to seeing you at our next Family & Community day!
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