The steamer slowly crept into port, trying to be as quiet as possible within the sound of the paddlewheels hitting the water and the roar of the engine.

They were on a secret and dangerous mission that May night – a mission that could change or end these men’s lives.

There was no officer on the ship, only a man in a captain’s uniform standing on the deck.

Smalls was born into slavery 23 years earlier, on April 5, 1839.

The plan to steal the 45m long steamship CSS Planter also originated from the above experiences.

Although despised by white officers and refused to be called a navigator because of his status as a slave, Robert acted as captain on that fateful ship to leave Charleston.

Robert was only 12 years old when his boss sent him into town.

Robert originally intended to use that savings to buy his own freedom.

When the time came, they started the boiler and let the boat run slowly to a rendezvous point – where they would pick up their family, including Robert’s wife and children, before rowing out to sea.

In Charleston, Robert married another slave named Hannah, and they had a daughter, Elizabeth.

However, the price for both at that time was $800, too much for Robert’s savings.

With a total of 16 enslaved men, women and children on board, the Planter turned around and departed on the most dangerous leg of the journey.

So, Robert knew they had to make it look like the ship was on patrol in a very normal way by passing through four military checkpoints with gun emplacements on the coast capable of blowing up the whole world.

The reason for this weapon was that the American Civil War had been going on for 13 months, when Charleston was an important port for the Confederacy.

Smalls knew that he would hand this ship over to the Federation on the ship to escape slavery.

Planter passed three checkpoints – Castle Pinckney, Fort Ripley and Fort Johnson – without incident, but the final checkpoint was Fort Sumpter: a fearsome fortress on a man-made island with walls

The rest of the ship wanted to go around this last blockade, but Robert believed that would only make them look suspicious.

However, there is still one last obstacle: The blockading Federation Navy can fire on the Planter – an enemy ship, especially if it is still flying the Union flag.

When handing over the ship, Robert did not forget to instruct: `I am handing over these war materials, including the cannons, for Mr. Abraham Lincoln to make good use of.`

Thanks to this feat, the press in the Northern Federation at that time praised him as a war hero.

But that is not the end of Robert’s story, but on the contrary, it is the beginning of a free life ahead.

After the Civil War ended, Robert did not choose to stay in the north but instead returned to South Carolina to continue his cause for black people.

The postwar Reconstruction period opened the political door for blacks for the first time, and Robert was one of the first to walk through it.

By then, he had already demonstrated his willingness to fight for black rights: when he was removed from a whites-only streetcar in Philadelphia in 1864.

As a politician, he helped draft the state’s new constitution, founded the South Carolina Republican Party, and campaigned for social work and education.

In 1874, Smalls was elected to the United States House of Representatives, and served several non-consecutive terms.

White southerners stripped blacks of their rights, introduced restrictive laws, and launched attacks on black politicians.

Before losing his political position, Robert gave a historic speech in 1895. “My race needs no special protection, their history in this country has proven them equal to

Optimism in racial equality followed Robert to the end of his life, similar to his kindness.

Robert Smalls died in 1915, at the age of 75, and left behind a memorable legacy of the endless struggle for freedom and equality of black people in the United States.