The African Union Society of Newport, Rhode Island was formally established on November 10, 1780, making it the first documented Black mutual aid society in the United States. Founded by free African Americans, the society provided financial support, burial services, and community assistance to its members during times of illness, death, or hardship.
This organization laid the groundwork for future Black self-help institutions and was a critical early expression of Black autonomy, solidarity, and resistance in post-colonial America.
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