Thoughts upon the African Slave Trade

John Newton, once a master of a slave ship, transformed into a beloved Anglican priest and passionate abolitionist after his conversion to Christianity in 1748. He collaborated with William Cowper to create a notable volume of hymns, including the famous "Amazing Grace," but took years to publicly denounce the slave trade. In 1787, he published "Thoughts upon the African Slave Trade," a powerful account revealing the brutal realities of the trade and serving as a poignant confession of his past actions, inspiring figures like William Wilberforce.