Fugitive from slavery Anthony Burns is arrested in Boston under the Fugitive Slave Act, sparking mass protest.
At a Glance
- Date
- 24 May 1854
- Location
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Key people
- Anthony Burns
- Category
- Abolition & Slavery
- Source
- Federal court records (1854) · National Park Service
What It Meant Then
His return to slavery under federal guard radicalized Northern opinion against the law.
What It Means Now
Abolitionists later purchased Burns's freedom; his case is a landmark of the antislavery struggle.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “The Arrest of Anthony Burns.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-arrest-of-anthony-burns/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). The Arrest of Anthony Burns. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-arrest-of-anthony-burns/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “The Arrest of Anthony Burns.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-arrest-of-anthony-burns/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.