Slave No More

The first African slaves were brought to the region by New Sweden colonists in the mid-17th century and the first slave ship arrived in Philadelphia in 1684. The number of enslaved people grew over time and they worked in many occupations like house servants, farmhands, and craftsmen. At first, Pennsylvania had "Black codes" which restricted the rights of enslaved people, such as not being allowed to meet in groups of more than four. In 1780, Pennsylvania became the first state to pass an act that gradually established slavery and it was due in part to the efforts of the international antislavery movement, which included the Quakers, who were the first religious movement to condemn slavery.