[2] In 1871, Pope Pius IX requested members be sent to America to work with the newly freed African Americans.In 1892, the members in North American were granted independence as the Society of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart (Josephites), was formed.[3] The society was formerly based at St Joseph's College at Mill Hill in north London.[4] The late 1960s saw the development of the Missionary Institute of London to consolidate training facilities for the various mission societies in Britain.There are now Mill Hill Society formation centres in Cameroon, East Africa, the Philippines, and India.