Parlor

At first glance, abolitionism seems simple: the movement to end slavery. But in reality, it was far from a single, unified effort. Like political movements today, abolitionists often disagreed—sometimes bitterly—on methods and goals.

Some pursued legal and political avenues: petitions, speeches, and publishing. Others, like John Brown, turned to violence, believing slavery could only be ended by force. And then there were those who quietly defied the law through the Underground Railroad, believing that breaking an unjust human law was justified under God’s law.

A major debate within abolitionism was what should happen after slavery ended. Many did not envision a United States where white and Black citizens lived as equals. The American Colonization Society, founded in 1816, sought to relocate free African Americans to Africa. They helped found Liberia in the 1820s, and over time, thousands were resettled there. Supporters ranged from Quakers and evangelicals to slaveholders—strange bedfellows who shared a belief, however misguided, that the races could not coexist in peace.

Even in the North, prejudice was deeply ingrained. Segregation, limited access to education, and economic barriers kept African Americans from achieving full equality.

What united most abolitionists, however, was the belief that no person had the right to own another. For Quakers like Thomas and Charity Rotch, that belief was rooted in faith. They believed all people—Black, white, Indigenous, or otherwise—were equal in the sight of God. This conviction guided their lives and their work here at Spring Hill.

As you stand here, imagine the weight of those choices—for the Rotches, for their neighbors, and most of all, for the men and women who risked everything in search of liberty.

When you’re ready, let’s head down the hallway to the Library.