Richard Davis Webb (1805–1872) was an Irish publisher, Quaker and abolitionist. He was a founding member of the Hibernian Antislavery Association in 1837 and was one of the Irish delegates at the 1840 Anti-Slavery Convention in London.
Frederick Douglass was introduced to Webb in 1845, shortly after he published his narrative, “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave.” Webb was impressed by Douglass’s eloquence and became a strong supporter of his work. He arranged for Douglass to speak at various Quaker meetings in the northeastern United States and helped him to raise funds for his anti-slavery efforts.
Webb was responsible for setting up speaking engagements for Frederick Douglass and organizing the printing of Douglass’s book, “The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.” Douglass and Webb had arguments as equals, which Douglass saw as a precursor to equal relationships across races after slavery ended in America.
Webb wrote “The Life and Letters of Captain John Brown” in 1861 and died in 1872.
Webb was a major player in the abolitionist movement in Ireland. To learn more, book the ANTI SLAVERY BELFAST TOUR!
Richard Davis Webb, publisher, Quaker and abolitionist
