Abolitionist verse comprises poetry explicitly composed to advocate for the end of slavery and promote human rights, particularly prominent in 18th- and 19th-century Anglo-American literature; these poems often employ moral urgency, emotive appeals, biblical allusions, and vivid depictions of suffering to galvanize public conscience, with notable examples including works by Phillis Wheatley, Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, and John Greenleaf Whittier—such verse functioned not only as artistic expression but as a crucial tool of political activism, blending lyrical form with ethical argumentation.

19th-century poetry advocating slavery's end. Major American tradition (Whittier, Harper). Often combines moral urgency with formal structure. Study alongside protest poetry and social verse.