Robert Smalls (April 5, 1839 – February 23, 1915) was an American politician who was born into slavery in Beaufort, South Carolina.

Robert Smalls did something unimaginable: In the midst of the Civil War, this black male slave commandeered a Confederate ship and delivered its 16 black men, women and children passengers from slavery to freedom. From slave to sailor to Congressman, read on for more about this extraordinary person.

Jan 11, 2025 · Robert Smalls (born April 5, 1839, Beaufort, South Carolina, U.S.—died February 23, 1915, Beaufort) was an American war hero and politician who, during the American Civil War, commandeered a Confederate ship to escape from the South and later became the first Black captain of a vessel in U.S. service.

May 12, 2021 · As a pilot, Smalls got used to navigating in his home state, Georgia, Florida, and along the southeast coast. A Union blockade was positioned seven miles out from Charleston harbor, and that gave Smalls the impetus to form a dangerous notion.

Feb 13, 2019 · SAVANNAH, GA (WTOC) - From slave to four term U.S. congressman; that’s just a small part of the remarkable life Robert Smalls. The Beaufort native’s courage is still being celebrated more than century after his death. He overcame what many would consider insurmountable odds to make a lasting impression on American history.

An escaped slave and a Civil War naval hero, Robert Smalls served five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. While still a slave, Smalls was hired out on the waterfront and became an expert navigator of the South Carolina and Georgia coasts.

Robert Smalls was a Civil War hero and prominent black political leader during the Reconstruction Era. He was born in 1839 in Beaufort, South Carolina, where he was enslaved by a local planter. At 23, Smalls won freedom for himself and his family and became a famous war hero.

Mar 1, 2016 · Few men embody the crucible of Civil War history like Robert Smalls. Born a slave but fathered by a white man, Smalls commandeered a ship that he sailed to freedom from the heart of the Confederacy. Today, his descendants work to keep the memory of this remarkable Civil War hero alive.

Jun 16, 2023 · Robert Smalls was ethnically Gullah Geechee, a society of African descendants along the coast and sea islands of the Carolinas, Georgia, and North Florida. And his familiarity with the sea would become his key to freedom via a ship called The Planter.

Feb 14, 2024 · On Feb. 3, the Shining Light Foundation had a mural unveiling and celebration in honor of Black History Month and Robert Smalls. The event was a time to acknowledge and honor African Americans’...