Abolitionism

October 16, 2024

A Conductor on the Underground Railroad

The Conductor by Caleb Franz conveys the fascinating story of the Reverend John Rankin of Ripley, Ohio, a highly influential figure in the abolitionist cause of the 19th century. Rankin’s story is largely unknown, overshadowed by the more celebrated figures of the antebellum period and the Civil War. Continue Reading...

February 22, 2024

The Letters That Inspired the American Abolition Movement

One hundred and ninety-nine years ago today, a local paper out of Ripley, Ohio, published the final installment of a series of letters written by the Reverend John Rankin. They were addressed to his brother, Thomas, on the subject of American slavery. Continue Reading...

December 19, 2023

William Wilberforce: Abolitionist, Reformer, Evangelical

On February 24, 1807, the House of Commons voted by 283 votes to 16 to end the trade in human slaves in all British territories. The outcome was testimony to the tenacity, zeal, and commitment of the most prominent evangelical Member of Parliament at the end of the 18th century, William Wilberforce (1759–1833). Continue Reading...

October 19, 2023

John Newton: From Slave Trader to Abolitionist Pastor

John Newton (1725–1807) is a pivotal figure in the English evangelical revival or awakening. His is an early example of a settled evangelical ministry in the second half of the 18th century, involving pastoral work, hymn-writing, and even mentoring the likes of a William Wilberforce. Continue Reading...

July 04, 2022

How Frederick Douglass found hope on the Fourth of July

On July 5, 1852, nearly a decade before the start of the Civil War, Frederick Douglass, a freed slave and statesman-abolitionist, offered a profound speech on seeing the Fourth of July through the eyes of a slave. Continue Reading...

March 02, 2015

Women Of Liberty: The Grimke Sisters

March is Women’s History Month, and during this month the Acton PowerBlog will be highlighting a number of women who have helped advance the cause of liberty and a free and virtuous society. Continue Reading...

March 26, 2014

Does the Moral Consensus on Human Trafficking Apply to Economics?

Over at the Kern Pastors Network blog, Greg Forster uses The Locust Effect – Gary Haugen’s new book on violence, poverty, and human trafficking – as a springboard for discussing the reach and interconnectedness of various Christian commitments. Continue Reading...