Anthony Benezet

Benezet, Anthony, 1713-1784.

Some historical account of Guinea, its situation, produce and the general disposition of its inhabitants : with an inquiry into the rise and progress of the slave trade, its nature and lamentable effects. -- A new ed. London : J. Phillips, 1788.

Benezet was no stranger to controversy: a Protestant whose family moved to England from France because of conflicts over religion, he later became a Quaker. Subsequently, he moved to America where he became an advocate for Africans and Native Americans, encouraging education and literacy. This work criticizes slavery as being inconsistent "with every Christian and moral virtue."

The emblem on the title page shows an enchained African man with the motto "Am I not a man and a brother."