Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton traveled to London for the World’s Anti-Slavery Convention. They were denied seats in the main hall of the convention, and were only allowed to observe the events from the gallery. William Lloyd Garrison sat in the gallery to protest the exclusion of the women.

William Garrison (1805–1879) was a key figure in the abolitionist movement. Garrison published the weekly paper the Liberator and demanded immediate emancipation for slaves. He declared slavery an abomination in God’s sight and vowed never to give up his crusade or be silenced. In 1833, Garrison organized the American Anti-Slavery Society. Early in his career, Garrison favored “moral suasion” (an appeal to the conscience of white Americans). Garrison worked with many other abolitionists, but some disagreed with his opinions in...

Arthur Tappan (1786–1865) and Lewis Tappan (1788–1863) were successful merchants and prominent antebellum abolitionists. Brothers born in Massachusetts, Arthur and Lewis became wealthy through various business ventures from the 1820s through the 1840s. The two became involved in the abolition movement in the 1830s, and they used their wealth to advance the cause. In 1833, they formed the American Anti-Slavery Society with Theodore Weld and founded Oberlin College, which enrolled both black and white students. Lewis gave financial backing to...