| Gabriel Prosser |
|
A black slave, planned a major slave
revolt with the goal of making Virginia a state for blacks. Although the
uprising never occurred, Prosser became known because he prepared it so
thoroughly and organized several thousand slaves. Prosser and his followers intended to attack Richmond, Virginia, the state capital. They planned to seize the city armories and kill most of the whites in Richmond. They also planned to capture other Virginia towns and free as many slaves as possible. On the night of Aug. 30, 1800, Prosser and about 1,000 other slaves met outside Richmond. But a storm flooded bridges and roads to the city, and Prosser postponed the attack. That same night, two slaves told their owner about the plot. He informed Governor James Monroe, who called out the state militia. Prosser and about 34 followers were soon captured and hanged. Prosser was born in Henrico County, Virginia.
|