John Dixon Long (June 27 1812 – June 13 1895) was an American Quaker minister, abolitionist, and author. He is known chiefly for his 1846 anti‑slavery pamphlet Pictures of Slavery in America, which documented the conditions of enslaved people and was circulated among abolitionist circles in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Early life and education
Long was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, into a Quaker family. He received a typical Quaker education of the period and was later licensed as a traveling minister within the Religious Society of Friends.
Abolitionist activity
In the 1840s, Long traveled to the Southern United States to observe the institution of slavery firsthand. His observations formed the basis of Pictures of Slavery in America, published in 1846. The work combined personal narrative with testimonies and illustrations, aiming to expose the brutality of slavery to Northern audiences and galvanize anti‑slavery sentiment.
Later career and legacy
Following the publication of his pamphlet, Long continued his ministry and remained active in antislavery advocacy, corresponding with other prominent abolitionists. He lived the remainder of his life in Pennsylvania, where he continued to preach and write until his death in 1895.
Selected works
- Pictures of Slavery in America (1846)
Long’s contributions are referenced in historical studies of ante‑bellum abolitionist literature and the role of Quaker activism in the anti‑slavery movement.
