Robert Smalls

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. tells the story of another great American hero, a man who did not flinch in the face of extraordinary dangers—a man whose dedication to the cause of freedom made him one the most important participants in the American Civil War.

On a moonlit night in the spring of 1862, six slaves stole one of the Confederacy's most crucial gunships from its wharf in the South Carolina port of Charleston, and delivered it to the Federal Navy. This audacious and intricately coordinated escape, masterminded by a 24-year-old sailor named Robert Smalls, astonished the world and exploded the Confederate claim that Southern slaves did not crave freedom or have the ability to take decisive action. Robert Smalls's heroic career had only begun.  

A brilliant sailor and strategist, he was quickly promoted to the rank of captain in the Federal Navy where he served courageously in many critical battles.  Not only was Smalls a great soldier, he was also a powerful activist, whose appeal to Abraham Lincoln convinced the president to enlist 5,000 former slaves, shattering the color barrier that had kept black men out of the service. Smalls drew great crowds as an eloquent public speaker, and his outstanding character inspired the broad public support that encouraged Lincoln to ratify the Emancipation Proclamation. 

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is a New York Times bestselling author and one of the nation’s leading environmental activists. He is past president of Waterkeeper Alliance, the world’s largest clean water advocacy group; founder of the Pace University Environmental Litigation Clinic; a former Senior Attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council; and a former Assistant District Attorney in Manhattan. He also is founder of Children’s Health Defense, a nonprofit global advocacy group. He has written three children’s books and many books for adults, including the New York Times bestsellers Crimes Against Nature, The Riverkeepers, and The Real Anthony Fauci. Mr. Kennedy was named one of TIME magazine’s “Heroes for the Planet” for his success helping Riverkeeper lead the fight to restore the Hudson River. Kennedy is a master falconer and former president of the New York State Falconry Association.

"Grade 5–8—This title celebrates the life of a little-known African-American hero. Born into slavery off the coast of South Carolina, Smalls later saved $700—almost enough to buy his young family's freedom. When the birth of a second child put a higher price on the prize, he started thinking of escape. In May of 1862, as a deckhand on a Confederate battleship, he and a small group of slaves and their families boarded the Planter in the dead of night and sailed off, delivering the ironclad to a squadron of Union warships. Not only were they safe and free, but Smalls and his crew were recognized by President Lincoln. As a Captain in the Union army, he would later convince the president to enlist 5000 former slaves, "shattering the color barrier that had kept blacks out of military service." After the war, Smalls joined the state senate and later served five terms in the House of Representatives. . . . Handsome single-page and full-spread paintings along with smaller black-and-white sketches enhance the narrative. This engaging biography sheds light on an interesting man and unique time in American history." —School Library Journal

"In the latest entry in Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s American Heroes series, Kennedy focuses not only on the daring escape Smalls made to freedom but also on Smalls as a political hero, especially his important role in the emancipation of slaves and in improving things for blacks during Reconstruction. The tone is sometimes too inspirational (he was “always noble and modest and spoke confidently for the cause of freedom”), but readers will still be able to appreciate the gripping history of how Smalls influenced Lincoln and how for 50 years, including during his six terms in Congress, he fought for American democracy and for the rights of the oppressed of all races—even at a time when the white supremacists in his state were triumphant. Like others in the series the volume features many illustrations—including maps,  small black-and-white portraits, and stirring, full-color scenes of ocean battles. A bibliography is planned but was not available for review. Grades 3-6." —Booklist