Heres the story of the nat turner rebellion, also known as the southhampton insurrection. The book is about a slave by the name nat turner, who organized an uprising against their white masters. Nat turner s name rings through american history with a force all its own. Presented as a firstperson narrative by historical figure nat turner, the novel concerns the slave revolt in. What happened to nat turner after the rebellion was put down. Rebel slaves killed from 55 to 65 people, at least 51 being white. The confessions of nat turner quotes showing 124 of 24 though it is a painful fact that most negroes are hopelessly docile, many of them are filled with fury, and the unctuous coating of flattery which surrounds and encases that fury is but a form of selfpreservation. Presented as a firstperson narrative by historical figure nat turner, the novel concerns the slave revolt in virginia in 1831. The richmond enquirer on nat turners rebellion pbs. Was the rebellion inspired by religious visions, as claimed by turner. A slave rebellion in history and memory, kenneth s. In southampton county black people came to measure time from nats fray, or old nats war. Leader of the most important slave rebellion on these shores, variously viewed as a murderer of unarmed women and children, an inspired religious leader, a fanaticthis puzzling figure represents all the terrible complexities of american slavery.
From the moment of the rebellion he led in 1831 that killed almost 60 whites, terrorized southampton county, va, and shook slaveholders everywhere, to the many evocations of him and his bloody course. In his book, middleton depicts turner as a man who sincerely believed himself. Nat turners rebellion was an intensely violent episode which broke out in august 1831 when slaves in southeastern virginia rose up against white residents of the area. The story seems to start out really slow at first, but by the end everything comes full circle. Learn about the largest slave revolt in us history. After killing the family of turners owner, the band ravaged the neighborhood, in two days killing a total of 55 white people, mostly women and children. The confessions of nat turner is a 1967 pulitzer prizewinning novel by american writer william styron. Greenberg gathers twelve distinguished scholars to offer provocative new insight into. In february 1831, an eclipse of the sun convinced turner that this was a supernatural sign from god to start an insurrection.
In august 1831, nat turner, a 31yearold slave claiming divine inspiration, led a band of rebels in the murder of some 60 white men, women and children in southampton county, virginia. During the civil rights movement, interpretations of nat turner continued. One of the newest books about him, the rebellious slave. Oates in the portrait of america essay book nat turners rebellion was the bloodiest slave revolt in southern history, and it had a profound and irrevocable impact on the destinies o. List of books and articles about nat turner online. Nat turner and his confederates in conference us history images nat turners portrait us history images nat turners capture us history images nat turners rebellion massacre library of congress, lcusz6238902 book journal sources queen, edward, stephen prothero and gardiner shattuck, 1996. Nat turners rebellion was a slave rebellion that took place in southampton county, virginia. Get premium, high resolution news photos at getty images. In the matter of nat turner princeton university press. List of books and articles about nat turner online research library. Nat turner profesies sic the rebellion which will take place with the eclipse of the moon, or, nat turners rebellion. Nathanial nat turner 18001831 was a black american slave who led the only effective, sustained slave rebellion august 1831 in u.
Turner, a slave preacher, believed that god had chosen him to lead blacks to freedom. Nat turner was an african american slave from southhampton county, virginia. Nat turners fierce rebellion essaysthe fires of jubilee. And my father and mother strengthened me in this my first impression, saying in my presence, i was intended for some. Nat turners rebellion in 1831 frightened southerners because it challenged the idea that slavery was a benevolent institution. He is most famous for leading a slave rebellion on august 21, 1831 which caused nearly 60 white men to be killed. Background history, the cotton cash crop and the growth of slavery nat turners rebellion was a direct result of the growth of slavery in the south. The political culture of american slavery and honor and slavery. The revolt was soon crushed, however, and slaves and three free blacks were hanged immediately. Africans in americapart 3nat turners rebellion pbs. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. The invention of the eli whitney cotton gin had made slave labor vastly more profitable as cotton became a highly profitable cash crop that used the slave plantation system of farming. It was then that nat turner, a deeply religious enslaved african american man.
The confessions of nat turner quotes by william styron. Nat turners rebellion a little rebellion now and then is a good thing, thomas jefferson once observed, but he observed it after his countrymen had won their own rebellion, the american revolution. And why does the enigmatic figure of the rebellious slave resonate so powerfully across american history. A fictional account of the virginia slave revolt of 1831, the novel is narrated by the leader of the rebellion. He is a former professor of history at university of massachusetts amherst. During a twoday rampage, more than 50 whites were killed, mostly by being stabbed or hacked to death.
Greenberg gathers twelve distinguished scholars to offer provocative new insight into the man, his rebellion, and his time, and his place in history. Nat turners rebellion also known as the southampton insurrection was a slave rebellion that took place in southampton county, virginia, in august 1831, led by nat turner. I think nat turner s rebellion is a bigger deal than people realize nowadays. Nate parkers film the birth of a nation is the latest retelling of turners rebellion. Under the leadership of nat turner 2, a thirtyoneyearold religious mystic, a group of enslaved people in southampton county, virginia, conspired to strike a blow to the system. Some of the reaction to that book, at least as expressed by time, now reads as dated. Nat turner profesies sic the rebellion which will take. In this richly detailed study spanning the eras of slavery, jim crow, and civil rights. As nat turner led a bloody slave rebellion, he carried this bible by krissah. William styron used grays work as a source for his novel of the same name, which in. The many faces of nat turner in 1831, nat turner led a slave rebellion in southampton county, va. The writer is an authority in the 19 th century american history.
Drawing for a childrens book on the underground railroad which has never been published. Nat turner was the leader of a violent slave rebellion in southampton county, virginia, in 1831. The virginia legislature actually debated ending slavery, but chose instead to impose additional restrictions and harsher penalties on the activities of both enslaved and free african americans. Nat turners rebellion was one of the largest slave rebellions ever to take place in the united states, and it played an important role in the development of antebellum slave society. In 1831, turner led an uprising of slaves that resulted in the death of more than. The leader of the late insurrection in southampton, virginia, a firsthand account of turner s confessions published by. Onehundred and eightyfive years ago this week, in the. A slave rebellion in history and memory by kenneth s. Nat turner leads slave rebellion african american registry.
Nat turners rebellionnat turners rebellion was the most significant slave revolt in united states 1 history. Nat turner s rebellion also known as the southampton insurrection was a slave rebellion that took place in southampton county, virginia, in august 1831, led by nat turner. And yet we do not know what he looked like, where he is buried, or even whether nat turner was his real name. Nat turner in historys multiple mirrors the new york times. The book was the result of grays research while turner was in hiding and his conversations with turner before the trial, and it is the primary. Nat turners rebellion was one of the bloodiest and most effective in american. The historians here explore turners slave community, discussing the support for his uprising as well as the religious and.
An annular solar eclipse crossed the united states in february of 1831, the path of which was visible in virginia. In the summer of 1831, a band of some forty slaves led. Nat turners rebellion led to the passage of a series of new laws. During the rebellion, turners master was killed, along with about 60 other whites. American slave nat turner is shown being discovered in a wooded area of virginia by a white man carrying a gun, 1831.
How nat turner explained the slave rebellion he led. For many years in black churches throughout the country, the name jerusalem referred. The images from nat turners rebellion of armed black men roaming the. As troops moved in to capture the slaves, turner escaped and remained at large for two months.
The rebellion was put down within a few days, but turner survived in hiding for more than two months afterwards. By the time the rebellion was put down, 40 blacks had died. The turner rebellion is usually given as the reason for the marked increase in. As nat turner led a bloody slave rebellion, he carried. Subscribe to hiphughes history is you love history.
In speeches and writings, slave owners portrayed themselves not so much as ruthless businessmen exploiting a people for their labor but as kind and wellintentioned masters tutoring blacks in civilization and religion. A bold new interpretation of nat turner and the slave rebellion that. It is important to also note that the slave owners in virginia and the south did not let nat turners rebellion pass without making some changes. How did the bloodiest slave uprising in american historyonce thought to have involved hundreds of conspirators, black and white, free and enslavedcome to be known simply as nat turners rebellion. While turners rebellion and some other revolts failed to give slaves the new life they fought. I t was in august of 1831 that nat turner led a rebellion of virginia slaves that left dozens of people dead, including small children. Nat turners name rings through american history with a force all its own. On this date in 1831, nat turner and 70 slaves began a twoday uprising in southampton county, virginia. On august 21, 1831, turner and his supporters began a revolt against white slave owners with the killing of his owners, the travis family. Nat turner was born on october 2, 1800, in southampton county, virginia, the week before gabriel was hanged.
Virginia, 30 august 1831 the banditti so much curiosity has been excited in the state, and so much exaggeration will go abroad, that we have. South carolina 1822, and nat turners uprising in jerusalem, virginia 1831, are the best known. In 1831 a slave named nat turner led a rebellion in southhampton county, virginia. A asserts that nat turners actions throughout the rebellion were strongly influenced and led by his christian beliefs and what he would describe as the spirit. The boston professor on trail of the real nat turner the. A religious leader and selfstyled baptist minister, turner and a group of followers killed some sixty white men, women, and children on the night of august 21. Nat turner, a slave owned by joseph travis of southampton county, virginia, believed that he had been chosen by god to lead a slave rebellion. I have read the narrative of the life of frederick douglass which is a better slavery book in my opinion.
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