William Wilberforce: podcast appearances and interviews

William Wilberforce (24 August 1759 – 29 July 1833) was a British politician, philanthropist, and a leading advocate for the abolition of the Atlantic slave trade. Originating from Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, he began his political career in 1780 and served as an independent Member of Parliament for Yorkshire from 1784 to 1812. His conversion to evangelical Anglicanism in 1785 marked a turning point in his life, inspiring him to pursue social and moral reforms. In 1787, Wilberforce collaborated with activists such as Thomas Clarkson, Granville Sharp, Hannah More, and Charles Middleton to campaign against the transatlantic slave trade, making him a prominent figure in the abolition movement. He led the parliamentary effort to end the slave trade for two decades until the passage of the Slave Trade Act in 1807. Wilberforce was also passionate about religion, morality, and education; he supported initiatives such as the Society for the Suppression of Vice, British missionary work in India, the creation of Sierra Leone as a free colony, and founded organizations including the Church Mission Society and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Though his conservative views led him to endorse some repressive legislation, he is most remembered for his persistent work towards the complete abolition of slavery. After resigning from Parliament in 1826 due to health reasons, he continued his efforts, contributing to the passage of the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833, which abolished slavery in most of the British Empire. Wilberforce died shortly after hearing the act's passage was assured and was buried in Westminster Abbey.