101 & Counting
Amazing Facts About Foundational Black Americans
1836 — New Philadelphia, Illinois
Tap the poster to enlarge · Canonical BHED artwork
Did you know a man born into slavery bought his own freedom, helped free 15 family members—and founded the first U.S. town platted and legally registered by an African American?
Free Frank McWorter was born into slavery in South Carolina in 1777.
Through farming, business, land acquisition, and determined entrepreneurship, he accumulated resources that he used to purchase freedom for members of his family.
McWorter first purchased the freedom of his wife, Lucy.
In 1819, he purchased his own freedom.
Over the course of his life, McWorter used proceeds from farming, business, and land sales to purchase freedom for himself and 15 family members.
In 1836, McWorter founded New Philadelphia, Illinois—the first town in the United States platted and legally registered by an African American. He laid out approximately 42 acres divided into 144 lots.
McWorter sold lots to Black and White settlers, and New Philadelphia developed as a racially integrated frontier community. His story connects liberation with entrepreneurship, land, family, community building, and institution building.
Free Frank McWorter was born enslaved in South Carolina in 1777. He became a farmer, entrepreneur, businessman, and landowner. He purchased his wife’s freedom and then his own freedom in 1819. Over his lifetime he used economic success to help purchase freedom for 15 family members. In 1836 he founded New Philadelphia, Illinois. The town became the first U.S. town platted and legally registered by an African American. McWorter is remembered as an entrepreneur, landowner, family liberator, and community builder.
Wait — There's More
The town itself became McWorter’s continuing legacy. New Philadelphia is now preserved as a National Historic Site—recognized as the first U.S. town platted and legally registered by an African American, and included in the National Park Service’s National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.
More Amazing Facts are on the way.