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A Traitor to His Species
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A Traitor to His Species

Henry Bergh and the Birth of the Animal Rights Movement

Ernest Freeberg
Basic Books, 2020

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Editorial Rating

9

Qualities

  • Eye Opening
  • Engaging
  • Inspiring

Recommendation

In 1866, Henry Bergh – a middle-aged, aristocratic failed author and heir to a business fortune​​​​​​ – founded the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in New York City. Bergh became the United States’ most effective advocate for the then-burgeoning – now prominent – animal-rights cause, and its most famous lightning rod. In this fascinating biography, history professor Ernest Freeberg provides an inspirational report on Bergh’s trailblazing work and landmark success in the nonprofit world.

Take-Aways

  • In the 19th century, people began to take action against animal cruelty and those responsible for it.
  • Henry Bergh became his era’s best-known advocate for animal welfare.
  • In 1866, Bergh founded the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in New York.

About the Author

Ernest Freeberg, Distinguished Professor of Humanities and head of the History Department at the University of Tennessee, also wrote Democracy’s Prisoner: Eugene V. Debs, The Great War, and the Right to Dissent.  

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