Abolitionist sentiments refer to strong feelings against slavery and the desire for its complete eradication. Those who held abolitionist sentiments actively worked towards ending slavery through various means such as political activism, writing, speaking out against slavery, etc.
Related terms
Emancipation: Emancipation refers to the act of setting free enslaved individuals from bondage or servitude.
Underground Railroad: The Underground Railroad was not an actual railroad but rather a network of secret routes and safe houses used by enslaved African Americans during the 19th century to escape to free states or Canada.
Fugitive Slave Act: The Fugitive Slave Act was an 1850 law that required all citizens (even those living in free states) to assist in the capture and return of escaped slaves to their owners.