In December 1765, Charleston, South Carolina, was thrown into chaos when rumors of an impending slave insurrection by enslaved Africans disrupted the city’s Christmas festivities. The fear of rebellion cast a shadow over the season’s celebrations, leaving white residents on edge and transforming what was meant to be a time of joy into a period of heightened vigilance and tension.
The Christmas Panic of 1765 began when Isaac Huger, a prominent slaveowner, reported that his wife overheard two enslaved Africans discussing a plot to massacre white people on Christmas Eve. Huger’s claims quickly escalated to the attention of Lieutenant Governor William Bull, who informed British authorities of the potential threat. Bull noted that the holiday season—when slaves were traditionally given temporary breaks from labor—could provide an ideal opportunity for rebellion.
The fear in Charleston and its surrounding areas prompted a swift and intense response. Lieutenant Governor Bull heightened local patrols and mobilized militia forces to prevent any potential rebellion, creating a climate of suspicion and heightened surveillance. For two weeks, the city anxiously prepared for an attack that never materialized.
The Charleston Christmas Panic of 1765 disrupted the holiday season by turning what should have been a time of festive celebration into one of intense fear and heightened security. The city’s atmosphere was filled with suspicion and anxiety, overshadowing the Christmas spirit for both the white population, who feared rebellion, and the enslaved, who faced harsher scrutiny during a time typically associated with moments of fleeting freedom.
In the aftermath of the panic, investigations revealed that the rumored rebellion was likely a misunderstanding. Some enslaved Africans, influenced by discussions surrounding the ongoing Stamp Act —an act passed by the British Parliament imposing a direct tax on the American colonies— had mimicked their masters’ calls for “liberty.” For many white colonists, the irony of their cries for freedom from British oppression being echoed by the Africans they enslaved was both unsettling and threatening.
Henry Laurens, a prominent Charleston slaveowner, later reflected on the event, suggesting that the fear had been exaggerated. Nevertheless, the response to the supposed conspiracy was brutal. Many Enslaved Africans were interrogated, punished, or exiled without substantial evidence. This harsh treatment demonstrated the precarious position of enslaved Africans, whose words and actions were constantly scrutinized through a lens of paranoia.
In response to the panic, Charleston authorities tightened their grip during subsequent Christmas celebrations. By the late 18th century, the city had formalized policies to deploy additional paramilitary forces during the holiday season, a practice that persisted well into the 19th century.
While the Christmas Panic of 1765 ultimately proved to be a false alarm, it revealed the deep fears that slaveowners harbored and the resilience of the enslaved, who found ways to challenge the system that sought to dehumanize them. The Charleston Christmas Panic remains a significant episode in the history of slavery in America, reflecting the ever-present tension between oppression and the unyielding human desire for liberty.
Source:
Documents related to Christmas panic of 1765–66 are found in Timothy James Lockley, ed., Maroon Communities in South Carolina: A Documentary Record (Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 2009), 24–31.
