Let This Voice Be Heard: Anthony Benezet, Father of Atlantic Abolitionism Book

Incredible book about the first American abolitionist, who singlehandely established a trans-Atlantic network of thoughts and ideas that influenced English and French sentiments towards slavery.

Starting his career by teaching emancipated black Americans, Benezet differed from most other abolitionists in that he felt not only was slavery wrong, but that people of all races were equal in intellect, productivity, life, liberty and happiness. His ideas would eventually soften the hearts of other abolitionists such as Benjamin Franklin and Benjamin Rush who, while rationally believing that slavery was wrong, intuitively believed that blacks were lesser people than whites.

Through Benezets writings on African history and the experiences of slaves, he was able to change the hearts of many men to realize the equality that all people shared regardless of race.

Because of Benezets writings, they were shared across Europe amongst political and literary circles. His writings directly influenced the abolition movements in England and France, where King Louis XVI himself personally read Benezets writings and would then proclaim an end to Frances participation in the slave trade.

The biography itself doesnt follow a specific narrative from Benezets early life to his death, as few documents exist to tell such a story. Instead, the chapters are broken up into the ways Benezet influenced various aspects of American and international sentiments towards the ending of the slave trade and the rapprochement for blacks to be integrated into society.

As one man opined seeing Benezets funeral procession walk down liberty street in Philadelphia, followed by the largest gathering of freed blacks ever to take place until that time, "I'd rather take the place of Benezet in that casket than to take the place of Washington in New York." Such was the strong feelings many felt for a man whose work would influence future leaders, especially Abraham Lincoln.