#revolt
Photo: Slave ships on the ocean. Wood engraving by Smyth.
In the Fall of 1841, 128 enslaved African Americans won their freedom aboard “The Creole” slave brig sailing from Richmond, Va. to New Orleans, La. One most the successful slave rebellions in U.S. History, Madison Washington and 18 other enslaved men took over “The Creole” from slave traders, passengers, and a 10 person crew.
Photo:Shackles, Gift from the Liljenquist Family Collection.
Demanding freedom, the enslaved had their captors sail them to Nassau in the British West Indies, where slavery was abolished. While most of the enslaved people on board gained immediate freedom, Washington and his collaborators were seized under charges of mutiny to answer for the slave trader killed in the revolt. The charges were ultimately dropped. It was decided that the African Americans on board “The Creole” were illegally enslaved and had the right to use force to gain their freedom.
