Throughout the brutal centuries of American slavery, resistance was as common as the oppression itself. Enslaved Africans did not passively accept their bondage; they rebelled, sometimes in open defiance, other times in carefully organized revolts that struck at the heart of the slave system. From blood-soaked uprisings on Southern plantations to daring mutinies on the open seas, the acts of resistance below shook the foundations of white supremacy and terrified the ruling class.
The 10 Most Explosive Slave Uprisings in U.S. History
1. Creole Ship Revolt (1841)
The Creole Ship Revolt stands as the most successful slave rebellion in U.S. history in terms of achieving freedom. In November 1841, the brig Creole was transporting over a 100 enslaved African Americans from Virginia to New Orleans when Madison Washington, one of the captives, led a daring mutiny. The revolt resulted in the death of a white slave trader, the subduing of the ship’s crew, and the redirection of the vessel to Nassau in the British-controlled Bahamas, where slavery had been abolished.
Upon arrival, British authorities refused to return the enslaved to the United States. Instead, they declared the majority of them free under British law, sparking diplomatic tensions between the U.S. and Britain. In total, 128 enslaved people gained their freedom, making it the largest number of successful escapees in a single rebellion connected to American slavery.
2. Nat Turner’s Rebellion (1831)
Nat Turner’s Rebellion was the most violent and deadly slave uprising in U.S. history. Born into slavery in Virginia, Turner was a deeply religious man who believed that like Moses, he was divinely chosen to lead his people out of bondage. On August 21, 1831, he and a small band of followers launched a bloody rebellion in Southampton County, killing approximately 55 whites over four days before being suppressed by state militia.
The rebellion sent shockwaves across the South. In retaliation, white mobs and militias killed nearly 200 enslaved and free Africans, many of whom had no involvement in the revolt. Turner evaded capture for nearly two months before being caught, tried, and executed.
The rebellion caused widespread fear among slaveholders and led to stricter slave codes and laws prohibiting education, movement, and assembly for enslaved Africans.
3. German Coast Uprising (1811)
The German Coast Uprising of 1811 was the largest slave rebellion in the United States by number of participants, involving between 200 and 500 enslaved people. Led by Charles Deslondes, a Haitian-born slave driver, the rebels rose up along the Mississippi River’s east bank near New Orleans. Armed with tools and a few stolen weapons, they marched for days, burning plantations and killing two white men as they aimed to seize the city.
Though poorly armed and facing overwhelming resistance, their boldness sent a clear message. The Louisiana territorial government responded with brutal force, deploying militias and federal troops to crush the rebellion. Over 90 rebels were killed during battles or executed afterward. Their heads were mounted on pikes along the river to serve as a warning to others.
Despite its failure, the German Coast Uprising demonstrated the organizational capacity and collective anger of the enslaved population in the Deep South.
4. Stono Rebellion (1739)
The Stono Rebellion, which took place in South Carolina in 1739, was one of the earliest and most significant slave uprisings in colonial America. It began near the Stono River, when a group of about 20 enslaved Africans, broke into a firearms store, armed themselves, and marched south toward Spanish Florida, where freedom was promised to runaways.
As they advanced, the rebels burned plantations and killed about 25 white colonists. Their ranks swelled to nearly 100 before they were intercepted by the colonial militia. A violent clash ensued, with many rebels killed in battle and others captured and later executed. The remaining few were either sold to the West Indies or subjected to extreme punishment.
The Stono Rebellion had long-lasting effects. It led to the passage of the Negro Act of 1740, which severely restricted the movement, assembly, and education of enslaved Africans.
5. New York Slave Revolt (1712)
The New York Slave Revolt of 1712 was one of the earliest major uprisings of enslaved Africans in the American colonies. At the time, New York City had a sizable enslaved population working in agriculture, and households. Frustrated by harsh conditions and a lack of freedom, around 25 enslaved Africans set fire to a building near Maiden Lane as a diversion, then ambushed white colonists as they responded, killing nine and injuring others.
The uprising was quickly crushed by colonial militia. Within days, over 70 Africans were arrested. At least 21 were executed, including some who were burned alive or broken on the wheel, in brutal public punishments meant to deter future revolts. The rebellion terrified white residents and resulted in even more oppressive laws against enslaved Africans.
6. Denmark Vesey’s Conspiracy (1822)
Denmark Vesey, a formerly enslaved man who had purchased his freedom, organized one of the most ambitious slave insurrection plots in U.S. history. A respected carpenter and leader in Charleston, South Carolina’s Black community, Vesey drew inspiration from the Haitian Revolution and the Bible. He planned to coordinate a massive uprising involving hundreds, possibly thousands, of enslaved Africans, seize weapons, kill slaveholders, and escape to Haiti.
The plan was discovered before it could be carried out, reportedly betrayed by a two enslaved Africans fearful of the consequences. Authorities arrested over 130 suspects, of whom 35 were hanged, including Vesey.
Although the rebellion never occurred, the fear it instilled in white slaveholders was profound. It resulted in harsher laws, stricter patrols, and efforts to dismantle Black institutions.
7. Gabriel’s Conspiracy (1800)
Gabriel’s Prosser, a literate blacksmith enslaved in Richmond, Virginia, planned a rebellion aimed at overthrowing the government and ending slavery in the state. Gabriel intended to lead hundreds of enslaved Africans to seize Richmond, kidnap Governor James Monroe, and demand the abolition of slavery. He believed that poor whites and sympathetic workers might join the cause.
The rebellion was scheduled for August 1800, but a heavy rain delayed the operation. Before it could be rescheduled, two enslaved informants exposed the plot. Gabriel and over two dozen of his followers were quickly arrested and executed. Others were deported or sold out of state. Though the uprising failed, the plan showed remarkable organization and political intent.
8. The Decatur Slave-Ship Mutiny (1826)
The Decatur Slave-Ship Mutiny took place aboard an American slave ship smuggling enslaved Africans in the 1826. After transatlantic slave trading was officially banned in 1808, the domestic trafficking of enslaved Africans picked up. During one such voyage, a group of enslaved Africans mutinied aboard the vessel, overpowering the crew and gained control of the ship.
Details about the exact number of participants and casualties remain scarce, but historical records indicate that several crew members were killed. The hijacked ship was twice intercepted by other vessels and captives taken, but upon arriving in New York, 14 former captives escaped. One, William Bowser, was recaptured, tried, and hanged. The other 13 were never caught.
9. Harpers Ferry Raid (1859)
Though led by a white abolitionist, John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry involved both free Black men and formerly enslaved Africans, and it was rooted in the goal of sparking a massive slave uprising. Brown and his people, including John Copeland, seized the federal armory in Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia), intending to arm enslaved Africans and ignite a rebellion throughout the South.
The raid was quickly suppressed by U.S. Marines. Most of Brown’s men were killed or captured, and Brown himself was hanged for treason. Although the uprising failed to inspire the large-scale revolt Brown envisioned, it sent shockwaves through the country and helped to galvanize the abolitionist movement and laid some of the ideological groundwork for the Civil War that eventually ended slavery.
10. 1826 Ohio River Uprising
The Ohio River Uprising of 1826 was a bold act of resistance by approximately 75 enslaved Africans being transported south by Edward Stone, a notorious slave trader, and his associates. On September 17, while traveling down the Ohio River, the captives rose up, killing Stone, his nephew, and three others before throwing their bodies overboard. They attempted to escape into Indiana, a free state, and while 56 were caught, 19 were never recaptured.
