William Rodney Herring

officially, 200 years ago today. In the British Empire, of course. The Slave Trade Act of 1807 went into effect on the first day of the new year. Slavery, of course, wasn't abolished until 1833. Again in the British Empire.

Shockingly, the U.S. was many years behind on both counts. Thirteen on ending the slave trade and thirty on ending slavery (which also celebrates a birthday today, its 145th). It's a good thing the U.S. has stopped that nasty trend of being behind on progress.