The Abolitionists: The Abolition of Slavery Project

What did a Quaker teacher, a Methodist preacher, a former slave, a former slaver, a ship's doctor, a businessman, an African composer, a Baron, a scholar, an outspoken widow, a lawyer and awealthy politicianhave in common?

Theywere just some of the people whocampaignedto bring about the abolition ofthe Transatlantic Slave Trade. For a long time, not many people in Britain knew and understood the evils of the Slave Trade. Thosewho did, and campaigned against it,faced abuse and occasionally even violence. They eventually formed a fellowship to abolish the trade.

The abolistionists also included manyAfricanswho worked side by side with British abolitionists; they included Africans such as Olaudah Equiano, QuobnaOttobah Cugoano and Ignatius Sancho. Theyformed theirown group'The Sons of Africa', to campaign for abolition. As Reddie says, the work of these African freedom fighters was important because it dispelled many of the misconceptions that white people held about Africans at the time'.

It was not only freed slaveswho fought against the trade. Enslaved peoplealsofought for their freedom.You can readmore abouttheir strugglein the'resistance section'. In Britain, the abolition movement gained in strength, despite setbacks and opposition from thosewho weremaking a great deal of moneyfrom thetrade. The movement brought together a wide range of different people (black, white, male and female) and each had something unique to offer the cause.

In this section:

You can find details of just some of the men and women who worked alongside Thomas Clarkson or were influential in the campaign.

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The Abolitionists: The Abolition of Slavery Project