Behind the Bastards Part Two: X-Mas Special: The Heroes Who Ended The Slave Trade
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Dec 24, 2025 AI Snips
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The Anonymous Letter That Sparked Outrage
- An anonymous letter about Gregson v. Gilbert exposed the moral horror of slaves thrown overboard to a London audience.
- That piece helped galvanize early abolitionist sentiment by framing kidnapped Africans as victims, not cargo.
Equiano’s Journey From Kidnap To Freedom
- Olaudah Equiano escaped kidnapping as a child and was sold into slavery, later becoming a freedman and adventurer.
- He used his personal experience on slave ships to fuel abolitionist activism and writing.
From Servant To Global Sailor
- Equiano gained languages, patrons, and skills under Quaker Robert King and bought his freedom in 1766.
- He then traveled widely, worked on ships, and lived an extraordinary adventurous life.