Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
An abolitionist is a person who actively works to end slavery. They advocate for the immediate and complete eradication of slavery from society.
Related terms
Underground Railroad: A network of secret routes and safe houses used by abolitionists to help enslaved people escape to freedom.
Emancipation Proclamation: A presidential proclamation issued by Abraham Lincoln in 1863 that declared all slaves in Confederate territory to be forever free.
Frederick Douglass: A prominent African American abolitionist, writer, and speaker who escaped from slavery and became a powerful voice for freedom.