Robert Smalls (1839–1915) was born into slavery in Beaufort, South Carolina. With brilliance honed by working Charleston’s docks, he seized a daring opportunity in 1862—piloting the Confederate steamer Planter past fortifications to deliver himself, his family, and several others to Union lines. That single act of courageous defiance catapulted him into national fame.
After the Civil War, Smalls became a political powerhouse. He helped draft South Carolina’s Reconstruction-era constitution, served in the state legislature, and went on to represent South Carolina in the U.S. House of Representatives for five terms. In a powerful act of grace and triumph, he even purchased the home where he had once been enslaved and allowed his former enslaver’s widow to live there until her death.
A Monument Finally Erected
South Carolina has broken historic ground by commissioning its first individual statue of an African American for the Statehouse grounds—honoring none other than Robert Smalls.
-
Design & Artist: Renowned Jamaican-born sculptor Basil Watson was chosen to create the statue. Smalls will be depicted in a three-piece suit, capturing his dignity and authority as a congressman.
-
Location: The statue will stand near the visitors’ entrance to the Statehouse, facing the monument of segregationist "Pitchfork" Ben Tillman—a deliberate and poetic positioning.
-
Timeline: Legislators unanimously approved the project, aiming for completion by 2028. There’s a strong push to unveil the statue during America’s 250th anniversary in 2026.
Why It Matters
This isn’t just another statue—it’s a powerful correction of history. For too long, the landscape of the South Carolina Statehouse has been littered with Confederate figures and symbols of oppression. Now, Robert Smalls will stand tall among them—not as a footnote, but as a symbol of resistance, leadership, and redemption.
He didn’t just escape slavery—he rewrote his destiny and left the door open for others to follow. And now, his likeness will do what he always did: face injustice head-on.
