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How did Benjamin Franklin feel about black people?

Asked by Anonymous Oct 02, 2026 6 views 1 answers
Find out How did Benjamin Franklin feel about black people and explore practical information and possible solutions.


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Answered Oct 07, 2026
How did Benjamin Franklin feel about black people? Benjamin Franklin's views on Black people evolved significantly over his lifetime, early in life he held common prejudices of his time and owned slaves, printed ads for slave sales, and held paternalistic views, but later became strong abolitionist and advocate for Black education and equality. Early Franklin owned two slaves named Peter and Jemima and viewed slavery as acceptable economic system. By 1750s and 1760s his views shifted through Quaker influence and observations, he began to see slavery as immoral and economically inefficient, and advocated for education of Black children, opening school for Black students. In 1763 he wrote that slavery degraded Black people and society. By 1780s Franklin became President of Pennsylvania Abolition Society and petitioned Congress to abolish slavery in 1790 shortly before his death, calling slavery atrocious debasement of human nature. He advocated for integration and education of freed slaves. So his feelings evolved from early prejudice and slave ownership to late life strong anti-slavery and support for Black education and freedom.
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