Author Talk: John Quincy Adams, Reluctant Abolitionist

As a Harvard alumnus, diplomat, US President, member of Congress, and attorney before the Supreme Court, John Quincy Adams had a unique relationship with slavery. Prickly and curmudgeonly, he danced with abolitionists, but never became one himself. However, Adams did harbor an intense hatred for the arguments of Southern slaveholders, and eventually found himself in the center of America's greatest struggle.

In this enlightening and fascinating talk, author Jeffrey Denman will present his book, which was informed by Adams's revealing and often tormented musings from his vast diary. His talk will offer a gripping account of John Quincy Adams's battle with slavery, while exploring the many fault lines in American society that led to the Civil War. Included will be the narrative of the dramatic showdowns on the floors of the House of Representatives and the Supreme Court, as well as Adams's attempts to outsmart the Southern politicians and his efforts to keep the issue of slavery at the forefront of Congressional activities.

A book signing and light reception will follow the talk.

Author Jeffrey Denman is a retired US History and World Geography teacher from the Brookline Public Schools in Brookline, MA, as well as an author and historian. He is the author of seven journal and magazine articles dealing with subjects ranging from the American Revolution to World War II, as well as co-author of Greene and Cornwallis in the Carolinas: The Pivotal Struggle of the American Revolution, 1780-1781. His third book, The Philadelphia Quakers and the American Revolution is currently in production and is about the brutal suppression of the Philadelphia Quakers during the American Revolution and is due out in April 2026.

The first floor of the Forbes House Museum, where the talk will occur, is wheelchair accessible.