Rob Edwards, "Defiant: The Story of Robert Smalls" (Stranger Comics, 2025)

episode

New Books in African American Studies not yet transcribed

▲ 0

Transcript

This episode hasn't been transcribed yet Upvotes decide what gets transcribed next — 0 so far. Sign in to upvote

More from New Books in African American Studies

Michelle Adams, "The Containment: Detroit, the Supreme Court, and the Battle for Racial Justice in the North " (FSG, 2025) 1h 5m · 09 Sep 2026

All episodes from New Books in African American Studies →

Report any issue

Source

Recorded17 Jun 2025

Publisherfeeds.megaphone.fm

Handlerec:5414064

Show notes

At the height of the Civil War, on May 12, 1862, Robert Smalls—an enslaved harbor pilot in Charleston, South Carolina—carried out one of the most courageous and cunning acts in American history. He disguised himself as a captain and, in the dead of night, commandeered the ship he worked on and sailed it to freedom. By the time Confederate soldiers realized what was happening, it was too late: Smalls, along with seven other enslaved crew members and their families, had run the blockade. Smalls’ heroism, and material aid for the Union, made national headlines and influenced Lincoln’s decision to accept Black soldiers into the Union Army. He later captained the very boat he took and, after the war, became a Congressman.DEFIANT: The Story of Robert Smalls (Stranger Comics, 2025) seeks to elevate Smalls to his rightful place in the national consciousness. The graphic novel—written by Rob Edwards (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Academy-Award nominated The Princess and the Frog) and drawn by comic book artists Nikolas Draper-Ivey (Black Panther soundtrack cover, Static: Shadows Of Dakota) and Ray-Anthony Height (Marvel Comics’ Star Wars: Doctor Aphra)—details Smalls’ childhood, his efforts to buy his freedom, and finally, the extraordinary events of that night in Charleston Harbor over 150 years ago. Omari Averette-Phillips is a PhD candidate in History and African American Studies at UC Davis. He can be reached at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.