Remains of slaves owned by Hamilton's father-in-law reburied in New York state

[Person 2713]

1. Hamilton never personally owned slaves

Alexander Hamilton worked for a trading company that sold -slaves but later he wrote of desires to improve conditions of minorities in the United States, especially for black slaves

During war he tried to persuade the south to offer slaves freedom for fighting

As part of his lobbying, Hamilton wrote to the President of the Continental Congress, John Jay, arguing that black's "natural faculties are probably as good as ours" and that "the contempt we have been taught to entertain for the blacks, makes us fancy many things that are founded neither in reason nor experience."

Hamilton concluded his letter saying that he hoped that the plan to "give them their freedom with their muskets" would lead to general emancipation, "for the dictates of humanity and true policy equally interest me in favour of this unfortunate class of men."

He was born in the Caribbean during the slave trades