Cassius clay abolitionist quotes

On October 19, 1810, Green Clay, cousin of former Senator Henry Clay, and Sally Lewis welcomed their son, Cassius Marcellus Clay, into the world. Little did they know how colorful a character their son would become.

Clay—featured on the National Constitution Center’s American National Tree, part of its main exhibit—was born in Kentucky and resided there for most of his life.

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Although his family had owned slaves, Clay became an abolitionist early in his life after hearing a speech by William Lloyd Garrison while at Yale in 1832. He eventually founded the abolitionist newspaper True American.

In 1835, he was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives, and was reelected three more times, despite his abolitionist beliefs.

He was one of the first members of the Republican Party, eventually currying favor with President Lincoln.

While in the Kentucky House, Clay was not the most popular man. On two occasio