A Chronology of Slave Actions in the United States

By Joseph E. Holloway

While there were at least 313 slave actions, when compared to Brazil, Latin America, where there were literally thousands, the reasons and conditions for those were determined by geography, history and policy. In this analysis of 313 slave actions they have been divided into three historical periods for analysis: the pre-colonial period from 1526 to 1691; the colonial period from 1700 to 1800, and finally the antebellum period from 1800 to 1860. In each of these periods slave actions had a certain characteristics in that we find a variety of types that analyzed a little later. Statistically primary revolts were less numerous than secondary for obvious reasons.

However the use of a statistical tool sheds light on the many complexities of how enslaved Africans responded to their oppression, and demonstrate a continual dissatisfaction with the most unfavorable conditions. In spite of the most unfavorable condition enslaved Africans such as Gabriel Prosser in 1800 used the rhetoric of the American Revolution to justify his movement, i.e., Blacks had natural human rights to fight for their freedom and liberation from enslavement, as American Colonists had the right to fight for their freedom and independence from England. One of the more interesting characteristics of the slave revolts in the later period was that the leaders unveiled elaborate plans for the liberation of slaves, using religion as an ideological basis for liberation and introducing their own Black theology of liberation from slave religion.

The history of slave revolts in North America begins with the first Spanish settlement in what is now South Carolina in 1526 and did not end until the Civil War in 1865. Throughout the 17th and 18th century enslaved Africans continued to struggle against their oppression in order to achieve freedom from enslavement. One revolt was not the revolution. Each incident of resistance did not result in immediate emancipation, but they contributed toward the creation of a moral consciousness which made emancipation possible by 1865. The slave's reaction to their enslavement took many forms. They covered a wide variety of reactions including plans to overthrow the slave regime to individual's acts of sabotage with the aim to destroy the slave master and his property.

Enslaved Africans resisted throughout the transatlantic slave trade, they resisted slavery from its inception in the New World. Enslaved Africans resisted captured and enslavement in Africa, and later on slave ships coming to the New World, they resisted in the plantation fields and in the Big House and they organized slave actions against their oppression. They fought for their freedom and liberation and were killed and died in the cause of freedom. Sometimes they even committed infanticide and suicide as a form of resistance. They fought and lost against insurmountable odds, but in the end they won because their struggle and resistance transformed the minds of Americans and brought on the Civil War that finally abolition the institution of slavery. One revolt was not the revolution for liberation and freedom, but collectively they contribution to events that would eventually lead to their liberation and freedom from bondage.

Texas had 16 which are 7 percent. North Carolina had 17 also 7 percent, Georgia 18 that is 8 percent. Kentucky 11, 5 percent, Tennessee. 9, 4 percent. Pennsylvania 4, 2 percent, Arkansas 4, 2 percent, and Florida with 6, 3 percent, New York City 2, 1 percent. Out of 313 slave actions 77 would be in the primary category and 236 were secondary type representing 75 percent of all slave actions. Again, Virginia ranks the highest in both primary and secondary actions followed by South Carolina and Mississippi. Secondary slave actions represented 59 percent of all slave actions and most of these were plots that never advanced beyond the planning stage. The following is the new organizational model for slave actions.

A Chronology of the St. Charles and St. James Parishers Revolt in 1811

YEARFORMTYPESTATEAIMPLACELEADERSHIP
1526 Revolt 2 SC Freedom near Peedee River African
1644 Revolt 2 VA Escape Gloucester County W/A
1657 Revolt 2
1660 Plot 2 VA Freedom/Escape Henderson
1663 Plot 2 VA Escape Gloucester Co. W/A/I
1687 Plot 2 VA Killing Whites Westmoreland Co.
1687 Plot 2 VA Extermination Northern Neck
1688 Plot 2 MC Personal freedom Maryland Co.
1690 Plot 2 NJ Personal freedom Rappahannock Isaac Morril
1691 Revolt 2 VA Personal freedom Rappahannock Co. Mingoe
1691 Plot 2 VA Personal freedom Middlesex Counties
1694 VA
1702 Plot 2 NJ Destruction of property Charleston African
1702 Plot 2 SC Destruction of property Charleston
1705 Plot 2 MD Destruction of property
1708 Revolt 2 VA Destruction of property Gloucester Co.
1708 Revolt 2 NY Destruction of property Queens County, N.Y.
1709 Plot 2 VA Destruction of property Surry
1709 Plot 2 VA Destruction of property Isle of Wright
1709 Plot 2 VA Destruction of property James Co.
1710 Plot 2 VA Destruction of property Surry
1710 Plot 2 VA Destruction of property James Co
1710 Plot 2 VA Destruction of property Isle of Wright
1711 Revolt 2 VA Destruction of property
1711 Revolt 2 SC Destruction of property Surry Co 25-30
1712 Revolt 2 NY Destroy, kill & murder N.Y. City Akan Slaves
1713 Plot 2 SC Escape/Take City Slave
1718 Plot 1 LA Create Black State New Orleans
1720 Revolt 1 SC Create Black State Charleston 3/S
1720 MASS
1720 Revolt 2 SC Escape
1720 Plot 1 SC Take City Charleston Primus
1721 Plot 2 SC Create Black State
1722 Plot 2 VA Kill, murder & destroy Rappahannock Cooper Will
1722 Plot 2 VA Kill, murder & destroy Rappahannock Co
1723 Plot 2 CT Create Black State
1723 Plot 2 VA Kill, murder & destroy Middlesex County
1723 Plot 2 VA Destruction of property Gloucester County
1723 Plot 2 MA Destruction of property Boston
1727 Plot 2 VA Destruction of property
1727 Plot 1 LA Create Black State New Orleans 15Afr.
1728 Plot 2 GA Extermination of Whites Savannah, Georgia
1729 Revolt 2 VA Escape to Freedom Rural Maroons
1729 Revolt 2 LA Kill, murder & destroy New Orleans
1730 Revolt 2 VA Kill master Williamsburg
1730 Plot 2 VA Extermination Rappahannock Rivers
1730 Revolt 2 LA Kill, murder & New Orleans
1730 Plot 2 SC Destruction of property Charleston Samba
1732 Plot 2 VA Extermination Rappahannock River
1732 Plot 2 LA Destruction of property New Orleans
1734 Plot 2 PA Destruction of property Burlington
1734 Plot 2 LA Extermination of Whites New Orleans
1738 Plot 2 NJ Create Black State
1738 Plot 2 SC Create Black State
1738 Revolt 2 MD Maroon War Prince George Co
1739 Revolt 2 SC Escape to FL Stono Jemmy
1739 Revolt 1 MD Create Black State Prince George Co.
1740 Plot 2 MD Escape Prince George Co.
1741 Revolt 2 NY Burn the city & kill whites New York City
1741 Plot 2 NJ Personal Freedom Slave
1744 Plot 2 SC Personal Freedom
1747 Plot 2 SC Personal Freedom
1748 Plot 2 SC Personal Freedom City Slave
1751 Revolt 2 SC Kill, murder & destroy Stono Hector
1751 Revolt 2 SC 1 slave executed for poisoning
1751 Revolt 2 SC Slave killed master
1755 Plot 2 VA Kill, murder & destroy
1759 Plot 2 SC Personal Freedom Charleston Slave
1760 Plot 2 SC Personal Freedom Slave
1761 Plot 2 SC Personal Freedom
1765 Plot 2 SC Personal Freedom
1766 Plot 2 SC Personal Freedom
1766 Plot 2 VA Personal Freedom
1767 Plot 2 VA Personal Freedom Alexandria
1768 Plot 2 VA Personal Freedom
1768 Plot 2 MASS Personal Freedom 300 slaves
1770 Plot 2 VA Personal Freedom
1771 Plot 2 GA Personal Freedom
1772 Revolt 2 GA Escape/Freedom Savannah Slave
1772 Revolt 2 NJ Escape East Jersey 6/men 4/wo
1774 Revolt 2 GA Personal Freedom St. Andrews Parish Slave
1774 Plot 2 MASS Personal Freedom
1775 Plot 2 NC Personal Freedom
1775 Plot 2 SC Personal Freedom Beaufort
1776 Plot 2 NC Destruction of Property
1776 Plot 2 GA Destruction of Property
1776 Plot 2 NJ Destruction of Property
1778 Plot 2 NY Destruction of Property
1780 Plot 2 NY Destruction of property Albany
1781 Revolt 2 LA Kill, murder & destroy New Orleans 1
1782 Revolt 2 VA Escape to freedom Richmond
1782 Plot 2 VA Escape to freedom Accomack County
1782 Revolt 2 LA Kill, murder & destroy New Orleans 50
1782 Plot 2 NY Kill, murder & destroy
1783 Plot 2 NC Kill, murder & destroy
1784 Plot 2 LA Kill, murder & destroy
1791 Revolt 1 LA Create Black State Lower Louisiana 600+
1791 Revolt 2 LA Slave killed master New Roads 1
1792 Revolt 1 LA Create Black State Northampton Co. 902
1792 Revolt 1 LA Kill slave master Pointe Coupee
1792 Plot 1 NC Kill slave master Northampton County
1793 Plot 1 VA Create Black State Norfolk 80/B34W
1793 Plot 1 LA Create Black State Powhatan
1793 Plot 2 SC Escape/Freedom Peterburg
1793 Plot 2 NY Destruction of property Albany 3 slaves
1795 Revolt 2 LA Kill, murder & destroy Point Coupee 25
1795 Revolt 2 LA Kill, murder & destroy St. Landry Parish
1795 VA
1795 Revolt 2 NC Kill, murder & destroy Wilmington
1796 Plot 2 NJ Kill, murder & destroy Elizabethtown
1796 Plot 2 NJ Burn town free slaves Newark
1796 Revolt 1 LA Create Black State Point Coupee
1796 Revolt 2 LA Escape to Freedom St. Landry Parish
1796 Plot 1 NC Create Black State
1796 Plot 1 SC Destruction of property
1796 Revolt 1 GA Create Black State
1797 VA
1797 SC
1798 SC
1799 Revolt 2 SC Escape Charleston, S.C. 10
1799 GA
1800 Plot 1 VA Create Black State Richmond G. Prosser
1801 Plot 1 VA Create Black State Richmond Slave
1802 Plot 1 VA Create Black State Richmond Jeremiah
1802 Plot 2 VA Kill, murder & destroy Nottoway County Bob/s
1802 Plot 2 VA Kill, murder & destroy Powhatan County
1802 Plot 2 VA Kill, murder & destroy Brunswick County
1802 Plot 2 VA Kill, murder & destroy Isaac
1802 Revolt 2 VA General insurrection Norfolk 300 slaves
1802 Plot 2 VA Burn city& kill whites Norfolk 80/slaves
1802 Plot 2 VA Take city Norfolk Caesar
1802 Revolt 2 VA Insurrection against State Hanover Co. Glasgow
1802 Plot 2 VA Planned insurrection Halifax
1802 Plot 1 NC Create Black State York M. Bradley
1802 Plot 2 NC Kill, murder & destroy Elizabeth City Tom Cooper
1803 Plot 2 NC
1803 PA
1804 Plot 2 GA Kill, murder & destroy
1804 Plot 2 LA Kill, murder & destroy New Orleans
1804 Revolt 1 LA Kill, murder & destroy Cane River, Natchitoches
1804 Plot 2 SC Freedom St. Helena
1804 PA
1805 Plot 2 SC Personal Freedom Columbia, S.C.
1805 NC
1805 Plot 2 VA Personal Freedom
1805 Plot 2 MD Personal Freedom
1805 GA
1805 LA
1806 Plot 2 VA Personal Freedom
1807 Plot 2 MS Personal Freedom Adams-Natchez Co
1808 Plot 2 VA Personal Freedom Norfolk
1809 Revolt 2 LA Kill, murder & destroy Germany Coast (New Orleans)
1809 VA
1810 Plot 2 GA Destruction of Property
1810 Plot 2 KY Destruction of Property
1810 Plot 2 LA Destruction of Property New Orleans
1810 Plot 2 MS Destruction of Property Mississippi Territory
1810 Plot 2 VA Destruction of Property Nansemond County
1810 Plot 2 NC Destruction of Property Halifax County
1811 Revolt 1 LA Create Black State New Orleans 500+
1811 Revolt 1 VA Create Black State
1812 Plot 2 LA Kill, murder & destroy Jack
1812 Plot 2 MS Kill, murder & destroy Mississippi Territory
1812 Plot 2 MS Personal Escape Adams-Natchez Co.
1812 Plot 2 KY Escape
1812 Plot 2 VA
1812 Plot 2 LA Escape to Freedom
1814 Plot 2 VA Escape to Freedom City
1814 Plot 2 MD Escape to Freedom Williamsburg
1816 Plot 1 VA Create Black State Spot. George Boxley/white
1816 Plot 1 SC Create Black State Camden
1817 Revolt 2 MD Personal Freedom St. Mary’s County 200
1818 Plot 2 NC Personal Freedom
1818 Plot 2 SC Kill, murder & destroy Charleston, S.C.
1818 Plot 2 VA Personal Freedom
1819 Plot 2 GA Personal Freedom Coco or Coot
1819 Plot 2 SC Personal Freedom Georgetown, S.C.
1820 Revolt 2 VA Personal Freedom
1820 Revolt 2 NC Personal Freedom
1820 Plot 2 SC Freedom Charleston, S.C.
1820 Revolt 1 FL Create Black State Subdued by U.S. Army
1821 Revolt 2 SC Personal Freedom
1821 Plot 2 NC Personal Freedom Onslow
1822 Plot 1 SC Create Black State Charleston, S.C. 7000
1823 Plot 2 VA Personal Freedom
1824 Plot 2 VA Personal Freedom
1825 Plot 1 NC Escape from slavery Edgecombe County
1826 Revolt 1 KY Create Black State
1826 Revolt 1 GA Create Black State
1826 Revolt 1 MS Personal freedom Charleston, S.C. 77
1826 Revolt 2 GA On Board Slave Ship Decatur
1827 Plot 2 GA Escape from slavery Macon 300
1829 Revolt 2 SC Escape from slavery Charleston, S.C.
1829 Revolt 2 NC Escape from slavery Near Charleston, S.C.
1829 Revolt 2 LA Escape from slavery
1831 Revolt 1 VA Take city & free slaves Southampton Nat Turner
1832 Revolt 2 TN Planned massacre Shelbyville
1832 Plot 2 TN Planned insurrection Memphis
1833 Plot 1 VA Inciting insurrection Fairfax County John Windover
1833 Plot 2 NC Motive unknown Wilmington
1835 Plot 2 GA Escape from slavery White
1835 Plot 2 MS Escape from slavery Jefferson County
1835 Plot 2 MS Extermination of Whites Madison County
1835 Plot 2 TN Extermination of Whites Clarkes 100+
1835 Plot 2 TX Kill, murder & destroy 100
1835 Plot 2 SC Kill, murder & destroy Clarkesville
1835 Plot 2 LA Kill, murder & destroy East Feliciana
1835 Plot 1 NC Planned Revolt Elizabeth City
1835 Plot 1 GA Planned Revolt
1835 MD
1836 Plot 2 LA Escape from slavery East Feliciana 40S/2W
1837 Revolt 2 LA Escape from slavery East Feliciana 50-60
1837 Revolt 1 LA Largest plan in LA history Cheneyville
1837 Plot 2 LA Kill, murder & destroy Alexandria
1838 Plot 2 KY Kill, murder & destroy Black/Whites
1838 Plot 2 TN extermination of whites Marshall County
1839 Revolt 1 LA Take city free slaves Iberville 410/s 4/Whites
1839 Revolt 1 GA Take city free slavery Macon
1839 Revolt 2 TN Kill, murder & destroy
1840 Plot 2 AL Take city free slaves W/W
1840 Plot 2 DC Take City
1840 Plot 2 LA Take City & liberate slavery Iberville Parish
1841 Plot 2 GA Extermination of Whites W/S
1841 Plot 2 MS Extermination of Whites Hanesville
1841 Plot 2 MS Extermination of Whites Wilkinson County
1841 Plot 2 TX Kill, murder & destroy Houston
1841 Plot 2 LA Extermination of Whites Avoyelles
1641 Plot 2 LA Extermination of Whites Rapides
1841 Plot 2 LA Extermination of Whites Lafayette
1841 Plot 2 LA Kill, murder & destroy St. Landry Parish
1841 Revolt 2 VA Creole Slave Revolt Rich. Madison Washington
1841 Revolt 2 LA Killed master Opelousas
1841 Revolt 2 VA Slave revolt on Creole Richmond Madison Wash
1842 Revolt 2 LA General Uprising Concordia, Madison
1842 Revolt 2 MS General Uprising
1845 Revolt 2 MD Escape to freedom
1845 Plot 2 LA Kill, murder & destroy Terrebonne Parish
1846 Plot 2 LA Escape to freedom White
1846 Plot 2 TN Escape to freedom
1848 Revolt 2 KY Escape to freedom
1848 Revolt 2 GA Escape to freedom
1849 Plot 2 GA Escape to freedom
1850 Revolt 2 MO Escape to freedom Slave
1850 Revolt 2 VA Escape to freedom
1851 Revolt 2 TX Escape to freedom
1853 Plot 1 LA Create Black State New .O 2500/S 100/W
1854 Revolt 2 MD Escape from slavery
1854 Revolt 2 SC Escape from slavery Jasper County
1854 Plot 2 TX Escape to freedom Gerlandsville, Jasper
1854 Plot 1 TX Escape from slavery Gerlandsville, Jasper
1854 Revolt 2 MS Kill, murder & destroy
1855 Plot 2 MD Escape from slavery
1855 Plot 2 MS Escape to freedom Gerlandsville-Jasper County
1856 Revolt 2 MS Free and liberate slaves Clark County
1856 Plot 1 LA Create Black State St. Mary Parish Slave
1856 Plot 1 TX Create Black State Harletsville
1856 Plot 1 TX Kill, murder & destroy Lavaca Co
1856 Plot 2 TX Create Black State Colorado Co. 200
1856 Revolt 2 TX Kill, murder & destroy Victoria Co
1856 Plot 2 TX Kill, murder & destroy Clarksville
1856 Plot 1 TN Create Black State Fayette County
1856 Revolt 2 TX Kill, murder & destroy DeWitt
1856 Revolt 2 LA Free and liberate slaves New Iberia
1856 Plot 2 AK Create Black State Little Rock
1857 Revolt 2 TN kill, murder and destroy 60
1857 Revolt 2 MS Kill, murder and destroy Clark County
1857 Revolt 2 MS Kill, murder and destroy Bolivar County
1858 Revolt 1 MS Establish a Slave Regime
1858 Revolt 2 MS Kill, murder & destroy Coffeeville/Yalobusha Co.
1858 Revolt 2 MS Kill, murder & destroy Bolivar County
1858 Revolt 1 LA Create Black State
1858 Revolt 1 TN Create Black State
1859 Revolt 2 VA Free and liberate slaves
1859 Revolt 1 VA Liberate slaves Harper’s Ferry John Brown
1859 Revolt 2 TN Pres. James Polk Plantation Nashville
1860 Revolt 1 MS Free and liberate slaves Winston County
1860 Revolt 1 MS Create Black State Natchez
1860 Revolt 2 Gen Escape to freedom Texas, Ark, GA & Alabama
1860 Plot 2 TX Free and liberate slaves Robertson Co 2
1860 Plot 2 TX Kill, murder & destroy Fannin Co 3
1860 Plot 2 TX Kill, murder & destroy La Grange 4
1860 Plot 2 TX Free & liberate slaves Matagorda
1860 Plot 2 TX Free & liberate slaves Henderson
1860 Plot 1 TX Free & liberate slaves Montgomery Co. White
1860 Plot 1 TX Free & liberate slaves Parker Co. 2White
1860 Plot 1 TX Inciting insurrection Tennessee County 2 Whites
1860 Revolt 2 TX Burn parts of Austin Austin
1860 Revolt 2 GA Kill, murder & destroy Floyd County
1860 Plot 2 Ala inciting insurrection Mobile Leadership White
1860 Plot 2 LA Create Black State Fayette County 200
1860 Plot 1 TN Free and liberate slaves
1861 Revolt 2 Gen Escape to freedom
1861 Plot 1 MS Extermination of Whites Adams-Natchez Co.
1862 Revolt 2 MS Escape to freedom Jasper County
1862 Plot 2 MS Extermination of Whites Natchez
1862 Revolt 2 LA Escape to freedom Thibodeax
1862 Revolt 2 LA Escape to freedom New Orleans
1862 Revolt 2 VA Escape to freedom
1863 Revolt 2 MA Escape to freedom
1863 Revolt 2 GA Escape to freedom
1864 Revolt 2 VA Escape to freedom
1864 Revolt 2 MS Create Black State Choctaw County
1864 Revolt 2 MS Escape to freedom Amite County
1864 Revolt 2 MS Burn City free slaves Yazoo City
1864 Revolt 2 MS Destruction of Property Bolivar County
1864 Revolt 2 SC Kill, murder & destroy