ROBERT SMALLS: OVERCOMING IMPOSSIBLE

ODDS

By: David LindsayKristeena Petersen

Tiffany HayesDeano Sommerdyke

Robert Smalls was not the typical 19th century African-American. He challenged the time period’s racial stereotypes by proving himself to be a brilliant mind and an eloquent speaker. When he became a prominent politician in his later life, Americans had their perception of racial equality forever changed. Robert Smalls proved that black people are fully capable human beings who possess the same cognitive faculties as the formerly “superior” white man.

Early LifeRobert Smalls was born as a slave in Beaufort, South Carolina in the year 1839. Since he was a charming young boy, instead of sending Robert to work in the plantation, his owner sent young Smalls to work for his sister in town. There he performed a variety of odd jobs, gaining many skills and invaluable experiences. By the age of 15 he was the captain of a slave operated boat at the docks, and had people over twice his age working underneath him.

The Civil WarWhen the state of South Carolina seceded from the Union and war erupted, Robert’s ship The Planter was enlisted in the Confederate army. All the slaves operating the ship knew that they were fighting on the wrong side of the war. So Robert hatched a risky plan. One night, after all the Confederate soldiers had left the boat in the hands of the black workers, the men loaded their families into the ship and sailed North for the union.

Daring Capture of The Planter

With Robert disguised as the ship captain, they slipped past Confederate forces and sailed right for a Union harbor. They replaced the Confederate flag with a white bed sheet.

Hero of the UnionRobert delivered much more than just a ship to the North. The most valuable thing he offered was extensive information regarding the South’s military locations and troop distribution. He became an instant celebrity. And after being involved in over 10 civil war skirmishes, he was also recognized as a War Hero.

Robert the PoliticianAfter the war, Smalls rose rapidly in politics, despite his extremely limited education. From 1868-1870 he served in the South Carolina House of Representatives and from 1870-1874 in the state senate. He was then elected for two full terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, and one partial term.

Racial InequalitySadly, as the Civil War faded into memory many people forgot the ideas of racial equality that had brought Robert Smalls into political office. In 1887 he was framed for a bribery crime he did not commit, and his last term was cut short. He also spent 3 years in prison. In the following years black men would lose their political power and racial stereotypes would emerge once again. Robert Smalls lived to see the racial reconstruction following the Civil War, but he also lived to see American ideals revert back to their racist and naive past. Still, he set the foundation for racial equality in America.

InfluenceRobert Smalls’ legacy lives to this day. The man was living proof that all races are created equal in a time period of overwhelming prejudice. He somehow became educated while it was illegal for him to even attend school. Through hard work and self discipline he obtained knowledge, inspired countless oppressed people, and challenged the racist ideas of the time.

Self-DisciplineThe life of Robert Smalls is inspiring because in contemporary times we often take our education for granted. This man was denied all opportunity, but by retaining information around him and challenging himself to become more intelligent he became an influential powerhouse and a beacon of hope for enslaved people everywhere.

Take Action

The story of Robert Smalls compels us to become educated because it is not a chore, it is an opportunity. People have risked their lives and died so that we all may have the right to go to school.

Find MeaningAnother important thing to learn from Robert Smalls is to always be willing to work hard at anything you do, and find some sort of meaning in it. Even if you are doing a chore you consider mundane, find something to think about critically while you do it, or take some sort of interest in one aspect of the chore. Create connections between everything.

Don’t Confine YourselfThe reason Robert was able to find so much meaning in life and achieve a vast education was because he did not restrict himself to one thing. He worked as a dockworker, rigger, sail maker, and many other odd jobs unrelated to sailing. These experiences helped him become a learned man at a very young age.