Remembering the Victims of Slavery: 10 Organized Rebellions in History

Rapper J. Cole led a rebellion in his latest music video.

1811: The Charles Deslondes Slave Revolt - On Jan. 8, 1811, Charles, a 31-year-old slave on the Deslondes plantation in Louisiana began a rebellion by killing the son of Colonel Andry at the Andry plantation, an arsenal for the local military. They set five plantations on fire along the Mississippi River and gained more slaves with each stop. The slaves killed two slave owners, destroyed three plantations and made it 25 miles south before they were stopped by a militia dispatched by Governor William C. C. Claiborne on Jan. 10. Some slaves were able to flee into the swamps while others were captured and returned to their masters. Others fought the militia. Charles was caught and was executed at the Andry plantation.  (Photo Reproduction: Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images)
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Nat Turner Slave Rebellion - One of the most widely known slave revolt leaders was Nat Turner, who was born on Oct. 2, 1800, in Southampton County, Virginia. Throughout his life, Turner had visions leading up to planning a revolt. In one particular vision, he “heard a loud noise in the heavens” that he should “fight against the Serpent” when he received his first sign. In February 1831, he saw an eclipse of the sun and believed this was the sign he was waiting for to carry out his plans. He organized with four other slaves, Henry, Hark, Nelson and Sam. The final sign was when Turner saw the sun transform to a bluish-green color. At 2:00 a.m. on Aug. 21, 1831, they killed the family of his master’s household. They then set out on horseback, eventually gathering a group of 40 and killing at least 55 white people. Turner was eventually found on Oct. 30 before he was sentenced and e...

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1822: Denmark Vesey Revolt - Denmark Vesey, a freed Black, was planning what would have been one of the largest slave revolts in U.S. in 1822, before a slave revealed the plan to his master. Vesey, along with 1,000 freed and enslaved Africans, planned to seize Charleston, South Carolina, and kill all whites and those in authority. Some sources say his plan involved a total of 9,000 Blacks in the region. Vesey, who was born in St. Thomas, West Indies, was brought to America as property of Captain Vesey, whom he traveled with between Haiti and Charleston for 20 years. He bought his freedom in an auction in 1800 and became a successful carpenter and influential preacher in the region. It is not certain whether the planned uprising was a conspiracy or was really planned. But it was enough fear for the authorities to arrest 131 people and execute Denmark Vesey and 37 others.  ...

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