On July 22, 1833, the British House of Commons passed the Slavery Abolition Act, marking a historic turning point in the British Empire’s long entanglement with slavery. Though imperfect and cautious in scope, the Act initiated the gradual dismantling of an institution that had underpinned British colonial economies for centuries—most notably in the West Indies—while also reflecting a seismic shift in moral, religious, and political thought throughout Britain. The passage of the Act did not occur in a vacuum. It was the culmination of decades of tireless activism by abolitionists such as Thomas Clarkson, Granville Sharp, and William Wilberforce. These … Continue reading July 22, 1833: Slavery Is Abolished