Background
Zedekiah Johnson Purnell was born in Philadelphia in 1813, in one of the most socially active families in Philadelphia"s black community.
Zedekiah Johnson Purnell was born in Philadelphia in 1813, in one of the most socially active families in Philadelphia"s black community.
In the 1840s, Purnell emerged on the national stage as an outspoken proponent of an African-American press, supporting such authors as Charles Bennett Ray and Samuel Cornish. He began work as a sailor, but eventually changed careers for "a more stable life ashore", becoming a hairdresser and a successful businessowner, located on the corner of Carpenter & Decatur Streets. As of the 1860 Philadelphia Census, his real estate property was valued at approximately $1100.
His personal estate was valued at $400.
He was an avid supporter of Samuel Cornish and Charles B. Ray"s Colored American and Martin R. Delany"s Mystery.