Robert Smalls Thesis

When someone thinks of a great African American hero, they usually think of someone such as Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and to a lesser extent, Harriet Tubman. But many names, such as Robert Smalls, go unnoticed, even though they too, did something incredible that helped win freedom for themselves and others. Smalls is just one hero, and here is his story: On April 5, 1839, Robert Smalls was born into slavery on a Beaufort plantation. Since his father was likely his master, he was treated well as a house slave. But his mother, Lydia, never forgot her past hardships of working all day in the fields. Subsequently, Lydia wanted young Robert to understand the horrors and hardships of slavery, so she took him to local auctions to see the

But also on that day, Robert led an uprising on the Confederate 's ship, the CSS Planter. The uprising was successful, and Robert set sail north towards freedom. When President Lincoln heard this news, it was the final piece of the puzzle that Lincoln needed to allow African American soldiers to fight for the Union. Smalls considered the Planter a gift to the Union, and he also provided the Union with secret codes, signals, and locations of Confederate troops. Smalls continued to serve in the Union Navy until the end of the war, and then he taught himself to read and write. Then he decided to enter politics- it was something most African Americans did not dare try. In 1868, Smalls was elected into the General Assembly, and then elected as a senator in 1870. And then in 1874, he was elected into Congress, serving five terms longer than any other African American before him! After his time in Congress, Smalls was an activist for public education. In fact, his effort made it so South Carolina became the first state to require free public schools. In 1886, Democrats forced Smalls from office. He managed the Port of Beaufort after that, until his death on February 23, 1915. Though Robert Smalls may not be as famous as other civil rights activists, he certainly played a critical role in making our country a better place for