Anthony Benezet and other Quakers found the first abolition society in America in Philadelphia, later led by Benjamin Franklin.
At a Glance
- Date
- 14 April 1775
- Location
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Key people
- Anthony Benezet, Benjamin Franklin
- Category
- Abolition & Slavery
- Source
- Pennsylvania Abolition Society records (1775) · Historical Society of Pennsylvania
What It Meant Then
It launched organized antislavery activism in the new nation.
What It Means Now
The society's tradition fed the broader abolitionist movement.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “The First American Abolition Society Is Founded.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-first-american-abolition-society-is-founded/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). The First American Abolition Society Is Founded. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-first-american-abolition-society-is-founded/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “The First American Abolition Society Is Founded.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-first-american-abolition-society-is-founded/.
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.