From slavery to Congress: Robert Smalls' fight for freedom was soon cemented on the grounds of the State House

At the age of 23, Robert Smalls fought for freedom for himself and his family. The man from Beaufort County was a slave and pilot during the Civil War before being elected to Congress.

He is the embodiment of a true hero, members of the Robert Smalls Monument Commission said on Wednesday. His legacy will soon be enshrined in concrete on the grounds of the State House.

At a commission meeting Wednesday, 10 members of the South Carolina Senate and House of Representatives discussed the logistics of designing, locating and fundraising for the memorial. Lawmakers passed a bill in the 2023-24 session that created the commission following the state's moratorium on new memorials on statehouse grounds.

State Senator Gerald Malloy, Democrat of Darlington, one of the law's sponsors, said it was a monumental time for the state. Malloy stressed that the historical perspective should not be “one-sided” and should show what Smalls meant to the state. “It should be a true picture of South Carolina and an American hero,” Malloy said.

State Senator Chip Campsen (R-Charleston) said it is high time and overdue that Smalls gets the recognition he deserves.

“I think Robert Small's life can probably be best summed up as a struggle for freedom as a slave, as a pilot and as a statesman. And these three different areas, his life, could best be described as a struggle for freedom. And he knew that his freedom would only be maintained through the law,” said Campsen, also mentioning his struggle for education.

Smalls was born in Beaufort and escaped slavery in Charleston. He was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives during the Reconstruction era and subsequently served in the state Senate. In 1874, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

“He is someone that all South Carolinians can and should respect. There were many things he could have been bitter about, but he wasn't. He dedicated the rest of his life to making South Carolina a better place for all people of all races,” Campsen said.

Smalls' monument will be the first of a single African-American figure on the State House grounds. There are currently more than 30 monuments there, including one dedicated to the history of slavery and black history in South Carolina.

Earlier this year, the University of South Carolina unveiled a memorial to the first three black students to enroll in classes after desegregation. The memorial stands in the “heart” of campus, Dorn Smith, a USC board member and former board chair, told The State, which reported that the board chose the location so that anyone visiting campus could walk by and enjoy it.

The commission has set a deadline of January 15 to design the statue and where it will be placed. The commission is also planning a website for donations.

“That's pretty cool. That's pretty cool. There's not a lot of legislation we need to add on the State House grounds, but I think Robert Smalls is worthy,” said Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey (R-Edgefield).

Massey said some members of the state Senate are unfamiliar with Smalls. Massey said they want to educate people and recognize Smalls' accomplishments.

Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort, who joined the meeting via Zoom, said he once lived across the street from Smalls' home in Charleston. He learned of Smalls' impact 40 years ago because schools, monuments and streets were dedicated in his name.

“I learned very quickly who he was and what he meant to South Carolina and how he embodied the best of what South Carolina stands for,” Davis said.

Democratic state Rep. Jermaine Johnson of Richland said it is often said that it is a “great day in South Carolina,” but Wednesday was “truly an extremely fantastic, great, amazing day in South Carolina.”

Johnson said the school system doesn't always teach about “these historical figures.” Imagine all the field trips and learning that would result, he said.

“I really look forward to the day when I can bring my children and grandchildren here to the State House grounds,” Johnson said of what he would tell them. “This is the ground you came from here. These are the kind of heroes you're meant to look up to and embody.”