Best,
Ron

As an interesting aside, the only American ever convicted and executed for slave trading under the law was Captain Nathaniel Gordon, a native of Portland, ME. Gordon was captured off the West African coast on August 8th, 1860 and tried and convicted in NYC on November 9th, 1861. After President Lincoln issued one stay of execution (supposedly only to allow Gordon to put his affairs in order) he was hung at the Tombs Prison on February 21st, 1862.

This incident is the subject of the book “Hanging Captain Gordon” by Ron Soodalter. Although like Eric I’m not particularly interested in the specific topic of slavery, Soodalter’s book is also an interesting read.

JFE

Technically you are correct, with Congress passing the Slave Importation Act in 1807. However, much of the friction between the UK and US was due to the inability of Jefferson to enforce his own legislation.

1819 saw passage of the Slave Trade Act, wherby the US Navy was authorised to prevent the trade. However, the US would not allow searches of their ships until 1849; so one could argue that this was the date that the US seriously considered that the international trade in slavery should be outlawed.

The date of 1820 is considered important due to legislation having been introduced in the UK, US, Portugal, and Spain. As with the US, the Portuguese and Spanish were loathe to give up the transportation of slaves.

Best wishes,

Mark

The slave trade was outlawed in 1808, not 1820. Perhaps the
passage of some enforcement legislation confused you.

Jekyll Island is not off Savannah, but 70 miles south, off of
Brunswick (where my in-laws live).

JFE