Germantown: The First Protest Against Slavery in the English Colonies

On April 18, 1688, four Quaker settlers in Germantown signed a petition declaring slavery morally wrong — the first formal protest against slavery in the English colonies. The Germantown Petition argued that slavery violated the Golden Rule and that "here is liberty of conscience, which is right and reasonable." The original document survives at Haverford College. A historic marker at 5109 Germantown Avenue commemorates the site.