Signing of the Slave Trade Act

Date: March 22, 1794 • Location: Washington, United States

The Slave Trade Act, which banned the export of slaves from the United States, was signed by George Washington

The Slave Trade Act of 1794 was a law passed by the United States Congress that prohibited the building or outfitting of ships in U.S. ports for the international slave trade. It was signed into law by President George Washington on March 22, 1794. This was the first of several anti-slave-trade acts of Congress. In 1800, Congress strengthened it by sharply raising the fines and awarding informants the entire value of any ship seized, as well as additional prohibitions on American investment and employment in the trade.