Gabriel's Rebellion was a planned slave rebellion in the Richmond, Virginia, area in the summer of 1800. Information regarding the revolt was leaked before its execution, and Gabriel, an enslaved blacksmith who planned the event, and twenty-five of his followers were hanged.

Gabriel's planned uprising was notable not because of its results—the rebellion was quelled before it could begin—but because of its potential for mass chaos and widespread violence. was a Virginia born man of African descent born into slavery in 1776 at Brookfield, a large tobacco plantation in Henrico County, Virginia. was able to keep a portion of the wages that he earned. The bulk of it went to Thomas Prosser. Gabriel was described in newspaper articles as having stood "six feet two or three inches high." His long and "bony face, well made," was marred by losing his two front teeth and "two or three scars on his head." White people as well as black people regarded the literate young man as "a fellow of great courage and intellect above his rank in life." Throughout the state in 1800, 39.2% of the total population were enslaved; they were concentrated on plantations in the Tidewater region and west of Richmond.

Gabriel, living in Virginia in the late eighteenth century, was influenced by the prevailing themes of liberty expounded by the supporters of the American Revolution. During his lifetime, the number of free people of color had grown markedly in the Upper South. Many enslaved people were manumitted thanks in part to the efforts of Methodist and Quaker abolitionists. Their number was augmented by free gens de couleur refugees from the Haitian Revolution, many of whom had been enslavers themselves.

During the spring and summer of 1800, Gabriel began planning a revolt to end slavery in Virginia. Plans were made with enslaved people over ten counties and the cities of Richmond, Norfolk, and Petersburg, Virginia.

He, his brothers, and other blacksmiths turned scythe blades into as many as twelve dozen swords. Musket balls and 50 spears were created. They intended to steal muskets from a tavern. expected to march into Richmond and take control of the Virginia State Armory and the Virginia State Capitol. The plan was to hold Virginia's Governor James Monroe hostage so that they could negotiate for their freedom. In addition, two enslaved people told their enslaver, Mosby Sheppard, about the plans. Sheppard warned Governor Monroe, who called out the state militia. They patrolled the area and began picking up conspirators. More than 70 enslaved men were arrested by law enforcement for conspiracy and insurrection.

{| class="wikitable"

|+ Enslaved people that were hanged

|-

! #

! Name

! Date of hanging

|-

| 1

| Will

| rowspan=5 | 12 September 1800

|-

| 2

| John

|-

| 3

| Isaac

|-

| 4

| Michael

|-

| 5

| Ned

|-

| 6

| Solomon

| rowspan=5 | 15 September 1800

|-

| 7

| Billy

|-

| 8

| Charles

|-

| 9

| Frank

|-

| 10

| Martin

|-

| 11

| Sawney

| rowspan=5 | 18 September 1800

|-

| 12

| Peter

|-

| 13

| Jupiter

|-

| 14

| Sam

|-

| 15

| Isham

|-

| 16

| Gabriel

| rowspan=10 | 10 October 1800

|-

| 17

| Sam Byrd Jr.

|-

| 18

| Isaac

|-

| 19

| Laddis

|-

| 20

| George

|-

| 21

| Gilbert

|-

| 22

| Tom

|-

| 23

| Michael

|-

| 24

| William

|-

| 25

| Sam Graham

|-

| 26

| Peter

| 24 October 1800

|}

One individual committed suicide before his arraignment. Eight enslaved men were moved or sold outside Virginia. Thirteen were found guilty but were pardoned by the governor. Twenty-five were acquitted. His execution was advertised in 1800 as occurring at the usual place; however, until 1806, the "usual place" was not yet the location of the Burial Ground for Negroes in Shockoe Bottom. The "usual place" of execution in 1800 was a place referred to as Gallows Hill near Canal St. at 1st St. The location of Gabriel's burial, as well as others who were executed on Gallows Hill for their involvement in the insurrection, was reported in the newspaper to have been the "Old Baptist Church Burying Ground", the burying ground connected to the old Baptist Church (originally organized as the Richmond Baptist Church) on Cary St., and was said to have been a sort of potters' field used primarily for the interment of Negroes. This burying ground at the old Baptist Church (First Baptist Church) was located on the northern side of Cary St. between 2nd St. and 3rd St., just a couple of blocks from the place of execution on Gallows Hill a little over a mile away from the Shockoe Bottom African Burying Ground.

Influence

The rebellion was reported in newspapers across the country. James Monroe and Thomas Jefferson were concerned about the optics of executing so many people. Jefferson said, "The other states & the world at large will forever condemn us if we indulge in a principle of revenge." The Federalists argued that the rebellion occurred as a result of the Democratic-Republican Party's support of the French Revolution. New laws were enacted to restrict free blacks and slaves.

Historiography

The historian Douglas Egerton offered a new perspective on Gabriel in his book Gabriel's Rebellion: The Virginia Slave Conspiracies of 1800 & 1802 (1993). He based this on extensive primary research from surviving contemporary documents.

The internal dynamics of Jefferson's and Monroe's party in the 1800 United States presidential election were complex. A significant part of the Democratic-Republican base were prominent planters and colleagues of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Egerton believes that any sign that white radicals, particularly Frenchmen, had supported Gabriel's plan could have cost Jefferson the election. Enslavers feared such violent excesses as those related to the French Revolution after 1789 and the Haitian Revolution. Egerton believed that Gabriel planned to take Governor Monroe hostage to negotiate an end to slavery. Then, he planned to "drink and dine with the merchants of the city".

Egerton noted that Gabriel instructed his followers not to kill white Methodists, Quakers, and Frenchmen. During this period, Methodists and Quakers were active missionaries for manumission.

  • The Spring Park Historic Site in Henrico County commemorates Gabriel.
  • Arna Bontemps wrote Black Thunder (1936), a historical novel based on Gabriel's Rebellion.
  • Gigi Amateau wrote Come August, Come Freedom: The Bellows, The Gallows, and The Black General Gabriel (2012), a historical fiction novel based on Gabriel's Rebellion.
  • In Roots, Alex Haley's historical fiction, the rebellion is heard of by the book's characters.
  • In Sally Hemings, Barbara Chase-Riboud's 1979 novel about Hemings's relationship with Thomas Jefferson, Monroe writes Jefferson asking his advice on what to do about the insurrectionists still in jail after "(m)ore than thirty-five" had been executed. Hemings intercedes on their behalf, telling Jefferson, "I think there has been enough hanging," and suggests they be exiled instead. Although it is not made explicit in the novel, it is implied that Jefferson followed her suggestion and advised Monroe accordingly. At the end of the chapter, Hemings says, "I heard that the last of Gabriel's rebels had been reprieved and banished from Virginia by James Monroe. I had not pleaded in vain."
  • "Gabriel, the Musical" was produced at Firehouse Theatre in Richmond, Virginia, from September 8, 2022, through October 2, 2022. With libretto by Jerold Solomon, Foster Solomon and Ron Klipp and Music & Lyrics by Ron Klipp, the musical tells a semi-fictionalized account of the development of Gabriel's conspiracy and its aftermath on the conspirators, the local government, and the nation. The production was funded in part by a 2020 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (grant 1861109-28-20).

Songs

  • Tim Barry, a singer/songwriter from Richmond, wrote and performed "Prosser's Gabriel" for the album 28th & Stonewall. It chronicles the events of Gabriel's life, focusing on the attempted revolution.
  • Gabriel is mentioned in Public Enemy's song "Prophets of Rage."
  • Gabriel is the hero of a cleverly subversive