To the Hon. Board of Trustees of the O.C. Institute assembled at Elyria—

Whereas there has been and is now among the Colonists and Students of the O.C. Institute a great excitement in their minds in consequence of a resolution of Bro. J.J. Shipherd to be laid before the board, respecting the admissions of people of colour into the Institute and also of the board’s meeting in Elyria.

Now your petitioners feeling a deep interest in the O.C. Institute and feeling that every measure possible should be taken to quell the alarm—that there shall not be a root of bitterness spring up to cause a division of interest or feeling (for a house divided against itself can not stand). Thereupon your petitioners respectfully request that your Hon. body will meet at Oberlin that your deliberations may be heard and known on the great and important questions in contemplations—We feel for our Black brethren—we feel to want your counsels and instructions—we want to know what is duty—and God assisting us we will lay aside every prejudice and do as we shall be led to believe God would have us do—

Wm Hosford	Asahel Munger	Brewster Pelton
Thomas P. Turner	Samuel Davis	Philip Tenney
Otis Janes	Josiah B. Hall	E. M. Leonard
Geo. N. Fletcher	T. S. Ingersol
H. Gibbs	Saml Daniels
Wm. Lewis	Fay Hopkins
A. C. Lyon	Daniel B. Kinney
Wm. Hills	Wm H. Hosington
C. W. Wallace	Rollin Brown
Wm. P. Cochran	Mayo G. Smith
Wm. Weir	J. F. Wooster
J. M. Williams
Wm. Sheffield
Herschel Reed
John Middleton
William T. Knight, Jr.
Benjm. Swett
Franklin B. Hawes
Jonathan Dearborn

Oberlin College Archives, Office of the Treasurer, Misc. Archives, “Trustees Re Colored Students”