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Interesting US History
A Website Devoted to Interesting Events in U.S. History

 

 
 

 

ON THIS DAY IN UNITED STATES HISTORY

August 21, 1831

American Slave Nat Turner Leads a Rebellion
Resulting in the Death of 55 White Civilians

On this day in 1831, Nat Turner, after gathering supporters in Southampton County, Virginia, lead a group of more than 50 black slaves and free blacks in a rebellion.

Beginning on the next day (August 22nd), the group started with Nat Turner's master, then went from house to house, freeing slaves and killing the white people they found along the way. Before they were stopped by a white militia, they had killed at least 55 white men, women, and children.

The rebellion was stopped within a couple of days but Nat was not captured until October 30th of that year. He was tried and convicted, and then hanged on November 11 in what is now known as Courtland, Virginia. Several hundred other African-Americans were also killed in retaliation.