Book Launch: The 18th Century Enslaving Industry — Lancaster Quakers’ Involvement

Morgan argues that the Lancaster Quaker Merchants adopted contemporary British social, political, and moral attitudes towards enslavement, an assertion which contests traditional narratives that depict Quakers as solely abolitionists without acknowledging Friends’ involvement in the transatlantic chattel slave trade. Using the family histories of the Lancaster Quakers involved, Morgan’s work brings to light the extent to which Friends profited from the trade of human beings and how the legacy of Friends’ complicity has shaped the world we live in today.

In this session, author Ann Morgan will discuss the research behind her book with Woodbrooke’s Deputy Programme Leader for Research, Rhiannon Grant. A short reading from the book will be given by Ann thereafter, followed by a Q&A session from the audience.