[lastchance]

The very first transatlantic abolitionist tract written anywhere, ever, was by an American. Ever. Period. The very first. The "oldest" in that sense. It was in 1700, "The Selling of Joseph". Samuel Sewall was British. Long before that tract there were Papal Bull issued condemning slavery and calling for the freeing of slaves (both native inhabitants and imported ones). This from 1435, "... We order and command all and each of the faithful of each sex that, within the space of fifteen days of the publication of these letters in the place where they live, that they restore to their pristine liberty all and each person of either sex who were once residents of said Canary Islands ... who have been made subject to slavery (). These people are to be totally and perpetually free and are to be let go without the exaction or reception of any money." Sadly, a majority of Catholic slave holders put manna before justice and human rights. That does not negate the fact this document predates "The Selling of Joseph."

[lastchance]

I don’t know what happened to the formatting. My apologies.

The very first transatlantic abolitionist tract written anywhere, ever, was by an American. Ever. Period. The very first. The “oldest” in that sense. It was in 1700, “The Selling of Joseph”.

Samuel Sewall was British.

Long before that tract there were several Papal Bulls issued condemning slavery and calling for the freeing of slaves (both native inhabitants and imported ones). This from 1435, “... We order and command all and each of the faithful of each sex that, within the space of fifteen days of the publication of these letters in the place where they live, that they restore to their pristine liberty all and each person of either sex who were once residents of said Canary Islands ... who have been made subject to slavery (). These people are to be totally and perpetually free and are to be let go without the exaction or reception of any money.”

Sadly, a majority of Catholic slave holders put manna before justice and human rights. That does not negate the fact this document predates “The Selling of Joseph.”