In 1786, Quobna Ottobah Cugoano, a formerly enslaved man turned London servant, delivered a bold abolitionist plea to the Prince of Wales. Using his unique position in a royal household, Cugoano sent pamphlets and a powerful letter denouncing the “unjust and inhuman” slave trade, appealing directly to the future king’s legacy. He later expanded his arguments into a groundbreaking book, the first anti-slavery treatise by a Black author in Britain, which he sent to both the Prince and King George III. His message was revolutionary, indicting the monarchy for its historic role in sanctioning and profiting from slavery. Despite his powerful warnings and appeals to Christian duty, the royal response was profound silence. Although the royal family ignored his plea, Cugoano’s ideas helped shape a growing abolitionist movement. His defiance revealed both the moral failure of power and the lasting impact of Black resistance within Britain’s empire.
The Guardian
