14. John C. Calhoun
John C. Calhoun, a prominent political figure and ardent defender of slavery, owned a 900-acre plantation in Fort Hill, South Carolina, where he held approximately 80 enslaved individuals. His substantial wealth and political influence were deeply intertwined with the institution of slavery, which he championed as a “positive good”. Calhoun’s economic prosperity and political career were significantly bolstered by his ownership and defense of enslaved labor (encyclopedia.com).
