Originally published on October 17, 2018 (Episode 82)
Introduction
By 1640 there was at least one man noted in Virginia records as being a slave for life; by 1662 the first Virginia laws recognizing lifetime slavery were published; and 1705, Virginia codified (that is, organized and made final) its laws of slavery. That system of slavery would last from 1705 to 1865.
Probably a surprisingly small percentage of people in 1860 would have referred to themselves as “abolitionists”. Nevertheless, abolitionism was one the most successful and consequential movements for social change in world history. That’s a big claim, but it’s not without warrant. In this conversation, Richard S. Newman and I trace the movement from its earliest days through the nineteenth century.
About the Guest
Richard S. Newman is Professor of History at the Rochester Institute of Technology and author of Abolitionism: A Very Short Introduction (OUP, 2018).
For Further Investigation
Richard S. Newman, Abolitionism: A Very Short Introduction (OUP, 2018)
—, Freedom’s Prophet: Bishop Richard Allen, the AME Church, and the Black Founding (NYU Press, 2023)
Related Episodes
“Happy Dreams of Liberty”—a black family in slavery and freedom
“Stolen”—how five boys were stolen into slavery, and how they made their way back to freedom
Listen & Discuss
Why was abolitionism one of the most successful movements for social change in history?
How did religious belief and political action intertwine in abolitionist thought?
If you know someone who doesn’t know as much about the history of slavery and abolitionism as they think they do, send them a link to this podcast.
