Watch Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace is the compelling story of William Wilberforce’s grueling campaign to abolish the slave trade. As a Tory member of the English Parliament, Wilberforce toils fifteen years to change this course of history. The story takes place when he is visiting relatives recuperating from exhaustion from trying to get support for his bill. During his time in Bath he is introduced, and marries his wife Barbara. He joins forces with his best friend William Pitt, Thomas Clarkson, Hannah Moore and ex-slave Olaudah Equiano to reintroduce the anti-slavery bill once again. With the encouragement from his wife and the concern for his children living in a better world, he begins to work again on getting the bill passed. He also collaborates with his mentor John Newton, who in his past life was a slave ship captain. His experiences has made him to convert to an Evangelical Christian, and the ghosts of over 20,000 slaves inspired him to pen the famous hymn for which the movie is named.

Pitt, Wilberforce’s most loyal supporter is in line to become Prime Minister and persuades him to slow his efforts until the issues of the French Revolution quite down. Before Pitt passes he assists Wilberforce in gaining support in the House of Commons of which he his most ardent and steadfast plea was falling on deaf ears. At the time most of the members were benefitting from the spoils of slavery and did not want it abolished. With the help of Clarkson and some new supporters Wilberforce employs new tactics to pass the bill. He has influential people tour slave ships in the harbor. He rolls out a petition across the House floor with thousands of names in support of his efforts. On the day of the final vote, one of the members speaks about an issue that seemed like it supported the opposite side, members were given tickets to a sporting event and by the time it was recognized what was happening the bill passed to abolish slavery.