Robert Smalls Tells His story of Being Elected to the U S House of Representatives by the South

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My name is Robert Smalls, and I was born into slavery, but I refused to let that define me. I escaped to freedom, fought for my country, and later became one of the first Black men to serve in the United States Congress. My life was about courage, determination, and proving that no man should ever be treated as property. Let me tell you my story.

I was born on April 5, 1839, in Beaufort, South Carolina. I don’t know exactly who my father was, but I grew up in slavery, working in my master’s house and later in Charleston’s shipyards. I learned how to work on ships, how to navigate the waters, and how to think quickly. But more than anything, I longed for freedom—not just for myself, but for my wife, Hannah, and our children.

When the Civil War broke out in 1861, I was forced to work aboard a Confederate ship called the CSS Planter. It was a military transport ship, and I learned everything about how to sail it. Then, in May 1862, I saw my chance. One night, while the white officers were asleep on land, my crew—who were also enslaved—and I took control of the ship. I put on the captain’s hat, used the right signals to pass by Confederate forts, and sailed straight toward the Union Navy. Instead of firing on us, the Union ships welcomed us. We had just delivered them a Confederate ship loaded with weapons and supplies!

That day, I won my freedom. President Abraham Lincoln even gave me a reward for bringing the ship to the Union. But I wasn’t done yet. I joined the Union Navy and later became a captain, leading Black soldiers into battle. I fought to end slavery and helped recruit thousands of Black men to fight for the Union.

After the war, I returned to South Carolina as a free man and started working to improve the lives of newly freed Black Americans. I bought my former master’s house—a powerful moment for a man who had once been enslaved there. But I didn’t stop there. I wanted to make real change, so I got involved in politics.

In 1874, I was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming one of the first Black congressmen in American history. I fought for education, equal rights, and policies that would help Black Americans succeed. I served in Congress for several years, despite facing racism and threats from those who wanted to undo everything we had fought for.

I spent the rest of my life working for civil rights and helping my community. I passed away on February 23, 1915, in the town where I was born—Beaufort, South Carolina.

If there’s one lesson I want you to take from my story, it’s this: never accept the limits others try to place on you. I was born into slavery, but I became a soldier, a leader, and a congressman. I fought for freedom, and I never gave up. And that, my friends, is what true courage looks like. Thank you for listening.

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