12 Facts About Samuel Cornish

Samuel Eli Cornish was an American Presbyterian minister, abolitionist, publisher, and journalist.

Samuel Cornish was a leader in New York City's small free black community, where he organized the first congregation of black Presbyterians in New York.

When Samuel Cornish was ordained in 1822, his parish was officially established as the New Demeter Street Presbyterian Church, making it the first black Presbyterian Church in New York City.

Samuel Cornish later ministered at the First African Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, and Emmanuel Church in New York City.

Samuel Cornish held high-ranking positions within the American Bible Society and the American Missionary Association, founded in 1846.

Samuel Cornish was one of the four founding black members; there were a total of 12 founders.

Samuel Cornish returned to the paper and tried to revive it, changing the name to The Rights of All, but the paper folded in less than a year.

Samuel Cornish later was editor for the Weekly Advocate, later renamed the Colored American, from 1837 to 1839.

In 1833 Samuel Cornish was one of the founding members of the American Anti-Slavery Society, whose membership and leaders were interracial.

Samuel Cornish used his position as a journalist and editor to inform the public on the issues involving abolitionism.

Samuel Cornish married Jane Livingston in 1824 in New York City, where he lived most of his life.

Samuel Cornish died on November 6,1858, in Brooklyn, New York.