Hope Bios: William Wilberforce

  William Wilberforce

1784 – 1812

Change through Politics

His Calling

English politician, Member of Parliament, philanthropist, and a 

leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade. 

His Faith

In 1785, Wilberforce became an evangelical Christian, which 

resulted in major changes to his lifestyle and a lifelong concern for reform and abolition.

His Legacy

Wilberforce headed the parliamentary campaign against the British slave trade.

The society was highly successful in raising public awareness and support, pioneering techniques such as lobbying, writing pamphlets, holding public meetings, gaining press attention, organizing boycotts and even using a campaign logo, spoke at debating societies and wrote spirited letters to newspapers, periodicals and prominent figures, as well as public letters of support to campaign allies, and they collected hundreds of thousands of signatures. The campaign proved to be the world's first grassroots human rights campaign, in which men and women from different social classes and backgrounds volunteered to end the injustices suffered by others.

Wilberforce worked for twenty-six years for the passage of the Slave Trade Act of 1807, which abolished the slave trade in the British Empire. (This did not free current slaves, but did end the practice of shipping new slaves from Africa.) 

That campaign led to the Slavery Abolition Act 1833, which abolished slavery in most of the British Empire.

What can I do?

• Learn more: Watch a movie with your friends: “Amazing Grace” about the abolitionists in England. Also, watch “The Price of Sugar” about modern slavery in the Dominican Republic. (available on youtube.) 
• What career do you hope to follow? What ways can you fight for justice through your career? Journal, or brainstorm with a friend or teacher on social justice issues.
• Advocate to politicians, sign petitions, vote.
• Contemporary world issues: Nearly 30 million people are modern day slaves. Many are children, and many are sex slaves. Visit ijm.org/theproblem to learn about slavery in the world today.
• Contemporary US Issues: read hashtags: #blacklivesmatter #MikeBrown #Ferguson