World Anti-Slavery Convention at Exeter Hall, London

Background. The British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society, founded in 1839, counted the World Anti-Slavery Convention among its first significant deeds. Preparations began in 1839 with a circular inviting delegates. The invitation provoked a controversial response from some American opponents of slavery, and when that group sent a message opposing the inclusion of women, a second circular was issued in February 1840 explicitly stating that the meeting was limited to "gentlemen" — a step that preceded the exclusion controversy at the convention itself.

Venue and Dates. The convention met for the first time at Freemasons' Tavern in London from 12 to 23 June 1840. Exeter Hall, a large public meeting place on the Strand, was a venue for many anti-slavery gatherings during this period, though the specific first meeting cited here occurred at Freemasons' Tavern. The event was later depicted in a painting by Benjamin Robert Haydon.

Exclusion of Women. The convention's male delegates voted to prevent women from participating even if they had been appointed as delegates of their respective abolitionist societies. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who attended the convention while on her honeymoon in England in 1840, was appalled by this decision. Lucretia Mott was amongst the women excluded, and she formed the idea of reforming the position of women in society at that time. The exclusion gave a great impetus to the women's suffrage movement in the United States.