William Wilberforce (1759 – 1833) was a British politician, philanthropist, and a leading figure in the movement to abolish the slave trade. As a longtime Member of Parliament, he played a crucial role in ending Britain’s transatlantic slave trade and later advocated for the total abolition of slavery in the British Empire.
Born in Kingston upon Hull to a wealthy merchant family, Wilberforce was educated at Cambridge, where he became friends with future Prime Minister William Pitt. Entering Parliament in 1780, he initially led a social and political life of privilege. However, in 1785, he experienced a deep religious conversion, which reshaped his priorities. Embracing evangelical Christianity, he committed himself to moral and social reform.
Encouraged by abolitionists like Thomas Clarkson, Wilberforce became the parliamentary leader of the anti-slavery movement. After years of resistance, he achieved a major victory with the passage of the Slave Trade Act of 1807, which outlawed the trade in British territories. He continued fighting for full emancipation, and just three days before his death in 1833, he learned that the Slavery Abolition Act was assured.
Wilberforce’s legacy as a humanitarian and reformer remains strong. His relentless efforts helped dismantle institutional slavery, and he is remembered as a champion of justice and moral progress.