Denmark Vesey – The Forgotten Hero and the Buried Story of an Insurrection

Posted on July 2, 2015 Updated on July 8, 2015

Denmark Vesey is a largely forgotten hero of the largest slave revolt that was ever planned in American history.

Vesey was born around 1767 in the Caribbean Island of St. Thomas, a centre for slave trade in the 1700 ( slaves were primarily required in the sugar and cotton plantations).  Denmark was purchased by Captain Joseph Vesey in 1781. Known as xyz, he later assumed his master’s surname Vesey. During his initial years he worked in the sugar plantations of Haiti and later became the personal servant of Captain Vesey who had settled in Charleston.

Around 1799, at the age of 32, Vesey won a street lottery of USD1500 out of which he used USD600 to purchase his own freedom from the Captain and set up a small carpentry shop with the rest. However, he was unable to buy the freedom of his wife and children. Around 1818, he along with others founded the AME Church (later known as Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church).  Four years later, the church was closed down by the whites, greatly angering the black slaves of the region.

The successful slave uprising of 1791, which resulted in St Domingue becoming an independent nation of Haiti in 1804 became Denmark Vesey’s inspiration to free the slaves in Charleston. He travelled places, preaching to the people, urging the people to break free from slavery and gathered followers in the process.  Apparently he is said to have planned the uprising for around four years with the help of Ned and Rolla Bennett, who were slaves of the governor; Peter Poyas, a ship’s carpenter; and Gullah Jack. Vesey managed to secure the support of both slaves and free blacks who agreed to support the cause and be a part of the conspiracy.  The uprising was planned to be executed at midnight on “Bastille Day” July 14, 1822 with black slaves numbering around 9,000.  The conspirators planned to kill the slave holders, free the slaves and set sail to Haiti.

However, in June 1822 just before the uprising the plan was leaked by two loyal slaves to their masters and  they immediately alerted the authorities. In a last attempt, Vesey brought the date forward to June, which was again betrayed. The city of Charleston began teeming with the militia and hundreds of people were arrested.

After a lengthy trial, forty-three slaves were deported and thirty-five were hanged. Vesey was condemned to death along with Rolla, Poyas, and three other slaves on the morning of 2nd July. Four white men were also put under trial for providing support to the slaves. As an aftermath, life became more difficult for the slaves. The state passed new restrictions on movements of black slaves and prevented the entry of free blacks in the city.

Vesey was remembered well till the first civil war. “Remember Denmark Vesey of Charleston!” became the war cry of the first black regiment of the Civil War. However, the details of the uprising were greatly underplayed by the slave owners and the authorities. Vesey the slave rebellion leader, the symbol of resistance of the slaves was gradually pushed into oblivion.

Recently however, there has been a surge in interest about the forgotten hero. Three books were published about him in 1999 namely, —He Shall Go Out Free, by Douglas R. Egerton, Designs Against Charleston: The Trial Record of the Denmark Slave Conspiracy of 1822, edited by Edward A. Pearson, and Denmark Vesey, by David Robertson.

Source: The Atlantic; CBN; New Republic; International Business Times; BlackPast.org