Thomas Slaughter, The Beautiful Soul of John Woolman

(October 14, 2008)

John Woolman (1720-1772), a Quaker tailor from New Jersey, had an extraordinary commitment to attaining self-purification through the rejection of slavery, war taxes, and rampant consumerism. Though not a famous politician, his persuasive ideals influenced the likes of fellow Quakers, social reformers, labor organizers, and peace advocates. Through Woolman’s essays and Journal, first published in 1774, historian Thomas P. Slaughter illuminates Woolman’s transformation from a humble idealist to a prophetic voice for the Anglo-American world.