Even though Robert Smalls was born in 1839, poor, black, and a slave in the Antebellum South, his existence was anything but predictable. His incredible fight to freedom and subsequent life merit the accomplishments of three lifetimes. During a harrowing historical period of intense fear and racism in America, Smalls managed to dramatically turn his…
Tag: Antebellum South
Cudjo Lewis: The Heartbreaking Story of The Last American Slave
On March 2, 1807, Congress banned the importation of slaves from Africa, and the law finally took effect on January 1, 1808. Cudjo Lewis was the last known survivor to arrive on the final slave ship to the United States. Through his life, he watched his world change in unimaginable ways, taking him from the…