On this day 250 years ago, Rhode Island banned the importation of slaves. The Rhode Island legislature passed “An Act for Prohibiting the Importation of Negros” likely drafted by Stephen Hopkins that read:

Whereas, the inhabitants of America are generally engaged in the preservation of their own rights and liberties, among which, that of personal freedom must be considered as the greatest; as those who are desirous of enjoying all the advantages of liberty themselves, should be willing to extend personal liberty to others.

. . . for the future, no negro or mulatto slave shall be brought into this colony; and in case any slave shall hereafter be brought in, he or she shall be, and are hereby, rendered immediately free, so far as respects personal freedom, and the enjoyment of private property, in the same manner as the native Indians.

Source: https://blog.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2023/06/today-in-history-rhode-island-becomes-first-colony-to-ban-importation-of-slaves/