Minutes from a meeting of the African Union Society on December 1, 1796, at which a committee composed of Zingo Stevens, Newport Gardner, and Prince Amy mentioned to (1) purchase three books to record births, marriages, and deaths; (2) choose a clerk to record these events; (3) give notice to the free people of color in Newport so they might provide said information to the clerk; and (4) express gratitude to the Convention of Deputies from the Abolition Societies for their advice from January 6, 1796. Motion passed unanimously and Abraham Casey selected to make inquiries regarding price of books.