Sancho was born on a slave ship and spent his life in England. He was the first known African to vote in a British election. Sancho wrote music and poetry, eventually obtained his freedom and was recognized posthumously for his contributions to London society. In the late 18th century, Sancho became a prominent symbol of the abolitionist movement, which extolled his life as “an extraordinary negro” as proof of African humanity. His biography was one of the most widely read books in England at the time.