The Influence and Contributions of Richard Allen During The Yellow Fever of 1793

The Yellow Fever of 1793 was an epidemic that killed over 5,000 residents of Philadelphia. Yellow fever is a viral disease that affects the liver and the kidneys, causing fever and jaundice that often lead to death. It’s transmitted by mosquitoes. Fortunately, the frost eventually killed off the mosquitoes bringing an end to the epidemic.

Richard Allen was a black minister and educator that was one of the most influential black leaders during his time. He founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church, which was the first independent black denomination in the United States.

During the Yellow Fever of 1793, Richard Allen aided those infected with yellow fever. During this time, Richard Allen as well as all other black people, were blamed as the cause of the epidemic. Black people that were helping patients, were also accused of charging high fees to the patients and even stealing from them. In response, Richard Allen and Absalom Jones, wrote a letter stating that both men had worked on patients without receiving any payment, also stating that they have seen white nurses stealing from patients. The reality was that Richard Allen and Absalom Jones went to great lengths in order to aid and comfort those suffering from yellow fever, and, of course, black people were not to blame for this epidemic.

The mistreatment of blacks is the unfortunate part of United States history that we see in this lesson. Instead of initially being celebrated for their work during the epidemic, Richard Allen and his people were blamed for what had happened. Today, it’s good to know how influential Richard Allen was both before, during, and after the Yellow Fever of 1793.