On the night of May 12, 1862, as darkness fell over Charleston Harbor, the white Confederate officers of the steamer Planter had left to attend a social gathering. This left the ship in the hands of its enslaved Black crew—exactly as planned.

Robert Smalls, a 23-year-old pilot, seized the moment. Disguised in the captain’s uniform and hat, he navigated the Planter through heavily guarded Confederate waters, expertly giving the correct signals to avoid detection. On board were Smalls’ crew and their families, including women and children—all risking death for a chance at freedom.

By dawn on May 13, Smalls had delivered the Planter to the Union Navy blockade, presenting the ship and its cargo—including artillery and Confederate codes—as a gift to the Union. His daring escape made national headlines and inspired thousands. Smalls would go on to become a Union naval officer and, later, a five-term U.S. Congressman from South Carolina.