John Bright in Anglo-American relations: why an English radical became an American hero

This article explores the development of John Bright’s heroic status in America for his activities in helping to defuse Anglo-American tensions during the American Civil War and his promotion of the Union cause to British audiences. It argues that while revisionists have questioned the extent of Bright’s influence on British public opinion, they overlook his value to Lincoln’s administration as evidence of a putative ‘silent’ pro-northern majority in Britain, and the emotional impact of his oratory on ordinary Americans. Bright therefore acted as an unofficial ambassador from the people of Great Britain to the people of the United States, helping to moderate anti-British feeling. It concludes by considering how Bright’s post-bellum reputation was shaped by tensions between his wartime role and subsequent controversies over free trade.