The importance of Philadelphia a

The importance of Philadelphia and its rich opportunities for free African Americans – and for cooks in particular – was becoming clear to Washington by the end of his time there. And so, after spending the summer of 1796 at Mt Vernon, he returned to Philadelphia leaving Posey behind believing he was planning to escape, thus cutting off his access to the city and its strong abolitionist network. But as George Washington Park Custis wrote, Posey was an extraordinary man, and on 22 February 1797, he walked away from Mount Vernon only to be seen once more, four years later in New York City.