Peter Faneuil was a merchant prince who had relentlessly parlayed his many connections across the Atlantic world into a sprawling business empire whose success and reach had made him one of Boston’s richest men and greatest benefactors. He enthusiastically traded in almost anything of value: Including human beings. Faneuil was an active trafficker who financed voyages from Boston to West Africa to purchase hundreds of slaves. And he kept at least five slaves to serve his own household.
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Brian MacQuarrie can be reached at brian.macquarrie@globe.com.