The Antislavery Movement in Kentucky

One of only two states in the nation still sanctioning slavery by the adoption of the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865, Kentucky has a long, troubled relationship with this "peculiar institution." As the practices of slavery varied widely across the state, so did antislavery proponents' suggestions for ending the institution. During the early years of opposition, proposals from the Kentucky Abolition Society and various religious groups were repeatedly ignored, and the slavery provisions of the 1792 article of the Kentucky constitution remained the law for over seventy years. Antislavery supporters continued their tireless work, however, and by 1820, two main groups had been formed. Some Kentuckians, such as James G. Birney and Cassius Clay, called for the emancipation of slaves, a gradual end of slavery with compensation to owners. Others, such as Delia Webster, who smuggled three fugitive slaves across the Kentucky border to freedom in Ohio, advocated the abolition of slavery, an immediate and uncompensated end to the institution. Ultimately, neither the emancipationist nor abolitionist movements were able to end slavery in Kentucky or significantly influence the national movement. Yet The Antislavery Movement in Kentucky celebrates the tenacious spirit of the men and women who fought for their principles and explores a pivotal era in Kentucky's history. Book jacket.

Lowell H. Harrison is professor emeritus of history at Western Kentucky University.