List of abolitionist forerunners

Thomas Clarkson (1760 – 1846), the pioneering abolitionist, prepared a "map" of the "streams" of "forerunners and coadjutors" of the abolitionist movement, which he published in his work, The History of the Rise, Progress, and Accomplishment of the Abolition of the African Slave-Trade by the British Parliament published in 1808. The map shows streams with various branches that led to the late-eighteenth century movement that convinced the British Parliament to ban the slave trade. The list below is taken from Clarkson's map.

Contents

• Clarksons list
• Various forerunners to 1787
• Early Quakers in England
• Quakers in America
• Various Quakers in England and America
• Others up to 1787
• Abolition forerunners not listed on the Clarkson map
• References

No women appear to be on the list, although many others were involved in the movement including Hannah More, Joanna Baillie, and Anna Laetitia Barbauld. James Oglethorpe does not appear on the list, even though he and other Georgia Trustees prohibited slavery in the Province of Georgia. Oglethorpe later collaborated in opposing the slave trade with Granville Sharp, whom Clarkson describes as "the father of the cause in England". Slavery as both a moral and legal concern arose in the early days of the Georgia Colony, which prohibited slavery in 1735 and was challenged by neighboring South Carolina, a slaveholding society.

Many others who warrant mention may not acknowledged in Clarkson's list. A section is provided below for the addition of other forerunners. For a more comprehensive list that includes subsequent periods, see List of abolitionists.