. ▁During ▁this ▁effort , ▁Kennedy ▁signed ▁his ▁name ▁to ▁a ▁party ▁pam ph let ▁calling ▁for ▁" im mediate ▁em an cip ation " ▁of ▁all ▁slaves ▁that ▁was ▁widely ▁circul ated . ▁On ▁November ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 8 6 4 , ▁after ▁a ▁year - long ▁debate , ▁a ▁state ▁refer endum ▁was ▁put ▁forth ▁on ▁the ▁sla very ▁question . ▁The ▁citizens ▁of ▁Maryland ▁voted ▁to ▁abol ish ▁sla very , ▁though ▁only ▁by ▁a ▁ 1 , 0 0 0 ▁vote ▁margin , ▁as ▁the ▁Southern ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁remained ▁heavily ▁dependent ▁on ▁the ▁slave ▁economy . ▁ ▁Work ▁with ▁cultural ▁and ▁educational ▁institutions ▁Kennedy , ▁in ▁his ▁close ▁association ▁with ▁George ▁Pe ab ody , ▁was ▁instrument al ▁in ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁Pe ab ody ▁Institute , ▁which ▁later ▁evol ved ▁and ▁split ▁into ▁the ▁Pe ab ody ▁Library ▁and ▁the ▁Pe ab ody ▁Conserv atory ▁of ▁Music , ▁which ▁are ▁now ▁both ▁part ▁of ▁Joh ns ▁Hop kins ▁University . ▁He ▁also ▁served ▁on ▁the ▁first ▁board ▁of ▁trust ees ▁for ▁the ▁inst itute ▁and ▁did ▁the ▁first ▁writing ▁that ▁out lined ▁its ▁mission . ▁He ▁also ▁recorded ▁minutes ▁for ▁the ▁board ' s ▁earliest ▁meet ings . ▁Kennedy ▁is ▁known ▁to ▁have ▁worked ▁for ▁years ▁to ▁help ▁lay ▁the ▁ground work ▁for ▁these ▁institutions . ▁ ▁Kennedy ▁also ▁played ▁key ▁roles ▁in ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁St . ▁Mary ' s ▁Fem ale ▁Sem inary ▁which ▁is ▁now ▁known ▁as ▁St . ▁Mary