Nat Turner

A wood engraving of the capture of Nat Turner

Nathaniel "Nat" Turner (October 2, 1800 – November 11, 1831) was an enslaved black American and Christian preacher. In 1831 he led a two-day slave rebellion in Southampton County, Virginia. This was "the only effective, sustained slave rebellion ... in U.S. history."

Rebellion

Turner believed that God gave him visions. When he was 21 years old he escaped from his master, Samuel Turner, and hid in the woods, following in his father's footsteps. Thirty days later he had a vision telling him to "return”.

Turner planned a slave rebellion, believing that an eclipse in February 1831 was a sign from God. Seventy black people, including slaves and free men, took part. They killed Samuel Turner and his family, and took their horses, firearms, hatchets and knives. Then they continued on. They killed at least 55 white men, women, and children in the rebellion.

The Governor of Virginia sent around three thousand militiamen to stop the rebellion. After two days, the soldiers ended the violent rebellion, but Turner escaped. He hid for 6 weeks to avoid being killed.

Reaction

Turner was found on October 30, 1931. He was executed on November 11 by hanging. He was skinned.

Slaves as far away as North Carolina were said to be connected with the rebellion. Many were tried and executed. A few were acquitted, but the State of Virginia executed 55 people. In retaliation for the Turner rebellion, groups of white people killed around 200 black people.

Because of the rebellion, new laws were made in Virginia. They made it illegal to bring together black people to teach them how to read and write.

Many people view Nat Turner as an American hero.

Nat Turner Media

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  Title page of The Confessions of Nat Turner