Robert Smalls
Robert Smalls grew up as a slave in Charleston, South Carolina, where his master rented him out to work on a cotton steamer called “The Planter”. Here Smalls became a sail maker a developed a love of the sea. The confederates opened fire on Fort Sumter (a union owned fort) during the civil war. Smalls who was currently at the wheel, was hatching a secret plan to steal the captain’s boat and escape slavery. Disguised in the captain’s clothes he left first thing in the morning. After bypassing shoreline security he rendezvoused with other slaves including his family to take them all to freedom. With the slaves onboard Smalls got through three more checkpoints and continued sailing north to the Union Naval blockade north of Charleston Harbor. Their approaching boat soon got shot at as the confederate flag was still up on the mast. After replacing the confederate flag with a white sheet signaling surrender, the slaves were taken into Union territory and set free. Giving “The Planter” to the Union Smalls got a $1,500 reward from the government which is about $35,000 today. He then got an invitation to talk to Abraham Lincoln where he made the case that black people should be allowed to fight in the war. He then became a highly decorated captain in the U.S Navy where he piloted the USS Planter to many victorious battles, including the defense of Fort Sumter after the union retook control of it. After the war, Smalls moved to back to South Carolina where he got elected to the US Congress and served five terms. In 1865 he bought his former master’s mansion and raised his family there and let his master’s widow live in the spare room.
Take a look at Kevin Harts telling Robert Smalls story: