The first white abolitionist was John Woolman, a Quaker from New Jersey. Woolman was born in 1720 and became an abolitionist in the 1740s. He travelled throughout the American colonies preaching against slavery and writing pamphlets on the subject. Woolman's work helped to inspire a generation of abolitionists, both black and white, to fight for the end of slavery. He is often considered to be one of the most influential figures in the history of the abolitionist movement.