Benjamin Lundy was born on 4th January, 1789, in Sussex County, New Jersey. A Quaker he was working as a saddlemaker in Wheeling, Vermont, when he first became concerned about the morality of the slave trade. In 1815 he formed the Union Humane Society. Six years later he began publishing the anti-slavery newspaper, Genius of Universal Emancipation.

In 1829, William Lloyd Garrison, joined Lundy as co-editor of the newspaper. The following year Garrison moved to Boston publish the journal, The Liberator. Lundy remained until 1835 when he began another newspaper, The National Enquirer, in Pennsylvania. During this time he travelled extensively searching for suitable places where runaway slaves could settle.

In 1839 Benjamin Lundy moved to Illinois where he revived the Genius of Universal Emancipation, which he published until his death on 22nd August, 1839.