This Juneteenth, meet Robert Smalls, a man born into slavery, elected to Congress, and instrumental in creating South Carolina’s first free public school system.
Who was Robert Smalls?
Robert Smalls was born into slavery in South Carolina in 1839.
During the Civil War, Smalls gained his freedom after taking control of a Confederate transport ship and delivering it to Union forces. He later entered politics and served in both the South Carolina legislature and Congress.
In 1868, Smalls served as a delegate to the convention that created South Carolina’s first free public school system.
For many families, especially those who had recently emerged from slavery, it was their first opportunity to access free public education.
Smalls saw education as an important part of building opportunity after the Civil War.
His Political Fight
Smalls spent much of his political career defending Reconstruction reforms, including voting rights, public education, and equal treatment under the law.
At the time, many Democrats in the South opposed those efforts and worked to restore much of the pre-Civil War political system. Smalls argued that citizenship should come with equal opportunities and responsibilities for all Americans.
Smalls once said, “My race needs no special defense, for the past history of them in this country proves them to be equal of any people anywhere.”
Why His Story Matters
Most of us don’t think much about freedom, public school, and opportunity. We simply expect them to be there.
Robert Smalls helped build a future where more Americans had access to education, opportunity, and a chance to shape their own lives. That’s a legacy worth remembering on Juneteenth.