1848 – French Abolitionist Victor Schœlcher Elected to Assembly

On June 10, 1848, Victor Schœlcher, the leading force behind the abolition of slavery in the French colonies, was elected to the French National Assembly. A staunch anti-slavery advocate, Schœlcher had championed the decree that ended slavery in France’s Caribbean colonies just weeks earlier on April 27. His election reflected public support for his progressive vision of equality and inclusion, even amidst revolutionary unrest. Schœlcher’s legislative power helped ensure the enforcement of emancipation in Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and Réunion. Unlike some reformers, he also advocated for full citizenship rights for the formerly enslaved. His work reverberated across the Atlantic world, influencing abolitionist momentum in Latin America and Africa. Schœlcher’s rise on June 10 is a reminder that Black freedom was often won not just through resistance but through political strategy and moral leadership within imperial governments.