On this date in 1822, Denmark Vesey, a formerly enslaved man and skilled carpenter, was hanged in Charleston, South Carolina, after being accused of organizing a large-scale slave rebellion.
Vesey, who had purchased his freedom in 1799, was an influential leader within Charleston’s free Black community. He was alleged to have planned an uprising to free enslaved people and lead them to Haiti, where slavery had been abolished. However, the plot was discovered before it could be executed, leading to his arrest along with over 130 others.
Following a secret trial, Vesey and 35 co-conspirators were sentenced to death. His execution became a symbol of resistance against oppression, inspiring future abolitionist movements.
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