The Wheelman: How the Slave Robert Smalls Stole a Warship and Became a King

Presented by Marshall Evans  

Explore of the life and legacy of Robert Smalls, an extraordinary yet often overlooked figure in American history. Born into slavery in South Carolina in 1839, Smalls made a daring escape during the Civil War by commandeering a Confederate transport ship and delivering it to Union forces. His courage and intelligence made national headlines, and after the war, he went on to serve five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming a symbol of Black political agency during Reconstruction.

Join author, Marshall Evans, as he  reflects on the journey of researching Robert Smalls and how Smalls’ presence has ebbed and flowed in American consciousness, and what that says about the relationship between truth and myth, history and storytelling.

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