Bright, John (1811-1889), was an English orator, reformer, and liberal politician. His interest in free trade led him to join the English manufacturer Richard Cobden in 1841 in the Anti-Corn-Law League (see Corn laws ). In 1843, Bright began his prominent career in the House of Commons.
As a Quaker, many of Bright’s views were unpopular, in particular his opposition to England’s participation in the Crimean War. Bright opposed slavery and England’s recognition of the Confederacy during the American Civil War (1861-1865). He also worked for electoral reform. Bright served in the Cabinet of Prime Minister William Gladstone from 1868 to 1870 and from 1880 to 1882. He was born on Nov. 16, 1811, in Rochdale, England. He died on March 27, 1889.
