Slavery and Abolition in Pennsylvania

This is the first statewide general introduction to the topic of slavery and abolition in Pennsylvania. The book offers a synthesis of works produced in that field from its beginning at the turn of the century to the present day. It calls attention to the importance of enslaved labor in establishing prosperity that has benefitted the state from the beginning and continues to do so today. In the end, Slavery and Abolition in Pennsylvania highlights the complexities of emancipation and the “First Reconstruction” in the antebellum North, presenting both a new look and a long-awaited synthesis on the topic. It explores the assumptions and realities of bondage and the quest to end it in the Quaker State.