Robert Smalls: The Biopic You Never Knew You Needed

Nearly 160 years after the Civil War, one hero’s epic story continues to be neglected by history and Hollywood alike: Robert Smalls, a man whose escape from slavery and successful career in the post-war South is as inspirational as it is blockbuster-worthy.

            Born and raised a slave in Beaufort, South Carolina, Robert Smalls’s claim to fame would be his successful capture of the Confederate steamship Planter in May 1862. At only 23 years old, Smalls abducted the ship and sailed it to Union waters, freeing himself and 15 other slaves in the process. His act of bravery would be instrumental in convincing Lincoln to allow African American men to fight for the Union.

            While his daring military mission would certainly make for a phenomenal film scene, an arguably more fascinating chapter of Smalls’s life would be his business ventures after the war. In addition to his career in politics, Smalls established a general store in Beaufort, owned real estate in his neighborhood, and founded a railroad in Charleston owned and run almost entirely by African American men. His commitment to investing wealth back into his community and encouraging African American entrepreneurship created a lasting impact in his home state of South Carolina and in the reconstruction-era South as a whole.

Between a heroic escape on a stolen ship, a breakthrough career as an African American politician, and decades of success as an ingenious businessman and entrepreneur, Robert Smalls’s biopic would most definitely be worth watching. His life was one epic adventure that deserves to be remembered—and a story that deserves to be told.  

 

Edward A. Miller, Jr., Gullah Statesman: Robert Smalls from Slavery to Congress, 1839-1915. (The University of South Carolina Press, 1995.) https://www.google.com/books/edition/Gullah_Statesman/0P1TEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1

Andrew Billingsley, Yearning to Breathe Free: Robert Smalls of South Carolina and His Families. (The University of South Carolina Press, 2007.) https://www.google.com/books/edition/Yearning_to_Breathe_Free/8326_m-Zq0IC?hl=en&gbpv=1

Thomas E. Nank, “Robert Smalls and the Planter,” American Battlefield Trust, September 24, 2020. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/robert-smalls-and-planter

Tim White, “Robert Smalls: From Slave to War Hero, Entrepreneur, and Congressman,” The Objective Standard, January 31, 2020. https://theobjectivestandard.com/2020/01/robert-smalls-from-slave-to-war-hero-entrepreneur-and-congressman/

Erin Kelly, “How Robert Smalls Escaped Slavery By Stealing a Confederate Ship,” All That’s Interesting, January 8, 2018. https://allthatsinteresting.com/robert-smalls