22 March 2007

Quakers pioneered abolitionist movement

It has been forgotten by many that some of the earliest non-black anti-slavery campaigners were Quakers, or members of the Society of Friends, as they call themselves. While pioneering the abolitionist movement in the 18th century, the Quakers also popularised political pressure tactics that are still with us today, such as petitions and consumer boycotts. Members of this ultra-egalitarian Christian sect were also some of the first to use logos as a promotional tool, spreading the image of a black slave in chains asking "Am I not a man and a brother"?

The abolitionist movement achieved success when opposition to slavery spread from Quakers to radical Anglicans, and eventually to much of the rest of British society (BBC).

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