Big August Quarterly is an annual religious festival held in

Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington ( Lenape: ''Paxahakink /'' ''Pakehakink)'' is the largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. The city was built on the site of Fort Christina, the first Swedish settlement in North America. It lies at the confluence of the Christina ...

(sometimes called "Big Quarterly" or "August Quarterly"). Begun in 1814 by

Peter Spencer Peter or Pete Spencer may refer to: *Peter Spencer (religious leader) (1782–1843), American Christian leader *Peter Spencer (journalist) (active 1970s onwards), British television news journalist *Peter Spencer (Royal Navy officer) (born 1947), B ...

in connection with the "quarterly" meeting (or "conference") of the African Union Church—of the four meetings during the year, the one in August became the "annual conference" of the Church when ministers' assignments for the next year were announced, among other business—it was a time for free blacks and slaves alike to come together (from the multi-state area) and celebrate their faith with singing, dancing, testifying, and feasting. It is the oldest such celebration in the country. The August Quarterly became a kind of Independence Day for Black people on the Delmarva Peninsula. In the early years of the festival “abolitionists and Underground Railroad conductors of the stature of Thomas Garrett and Harriet Tubman were often in the Wilmington area to assist slaves who chose to escape”. The Big Quarterly has remained a time of reunion, religious revival and celebration of freedom for the people in and around Wilmington, Delaware.

References

External links

* African-American history of Delaware Religion in Delaware Festivals in Delaware Wilmington, Delaware Christian festivals in the United States Tourist attractions in New Castle County, Delaware 1814 establishments in the United States 1814 establishments in Delaware {{Reli-festival-stub