The Selling of Joseph

'The Selling of Joseph' is a 1700 anti-slavery pamphlet written by Samuel Sewall. Sewall was a prominent Puritan magistrate in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, famously known for his involvement in the Salem witch trials. He later publicly repented for his role in the trials and became an early abolitionist voice.

It is considered one of the earliest published arguments against slavery in British North America. Sewall draws heavily on Scripture and natural rights to argue that all humans are born equal under God. He directly challenged the legality and morality of the growing slave trade in the American colonies.

Sewall wrote the pamphlet in direct response to a pro-slavery essay written by his friend, John Saffin. Saffin was a wealthy Boston merchant, lawyer, and slave owner who defended the practice of slavery. The pamphlet sparked a public, written debate between the two prominent colonial figures.

No, the pamphlet was not successful and was largely unpopular among Sewall's wealthy merchant peers. At the time, slavery was deeply entrenched in the economic system of the colonies. Despite its lack of immediate impact, it remains a historically vital early document in the long history of American abolitionism.