Introduction

From the 1760s to the 1860s, the campaign to end enslavement was one of the most organized, visible and effective movements in the world. From its origins in the late-eighteenth century, it slowly but steadily gained momentum, achieving public recognition and engagement as it sought initially to end the slave trade, and then slavery itself. This chapter aims to examines the struggle to end enslavement through the stories of a small number of black abolitionists who crossed the Atlantic before the American Civil War and who travelled to Ireland to win support for their cause. It suggests that the number who travelled to Ireland is higher than has been suggested and that many other stories may remain to be re-discovered. The chapter provides insights into the complexity of the abolition movement and the diversity of those who regarded it as a major weapon in the ending of enslavement.