This powerful narrative tells the triumphant story of the men and women who spent their lives and fortunes trying to abolish the institution of slavery in the United States. The practice of African slavery has been described as the United States's most shameful sin. Undoing this practice was a long, complex struggle that lasted centuries and ultimately drove America to a bitter civil war. After an introduction that places the United States's form of slavery into a global, historical perspective, author T. Adams Upchurch shows how an ancient custom evolved into the American South's peculiar institution. The gripping narrative will fascinate readers, while excerpts from primary documents provide glimpses into the minds of key abolitionists and proslavery apologists. The book's glossary, annotated bibliography, and chronology will be indispensable tools for readers researching and writing papers on slavery or abolitionists, making this text ideal for high school and college-level students.