Madison Washington facts for kids

Madison Washington was an enslaved person who led a brave fight for freedom on November 7, 1841. This happened on a ship called the Creole, which was carrying 134 other enslaved people. They were being taken from Virginia to New Orleans to be sold, as part of the trade of enslaved people along the coast.

On the night of November 7, 1841, Madison Washington led 18 of his fellow enslaved people in a revolt. They took control of the Creole and ordered the crew to sail to Nassau, which was a British colony. The United Kingdom had already ended slavery in 1833 across the British Empire. Even though America protested, the British said the enslaved people were free under their law and would not send them back.

The British officials in Nassau took Madison Washington and his 17 companions into custody for leading the revolt. A special court heard their case. In April 1842, the court ruled in their favor and set them free. The other 116 enslaved people had gained their freedom immediately the previous fall. Five people chose to stay on the ship and return to the United States and slavery. Because 128 enslaved people gained their freedom from this revolt, it is seen as the most successful revolt for freedom in United States history.

Madison Washington's Impact

Madison Washington's actions inspired many people who were fighting to end slavery.

A Hero to Abolitionists

• The abolitionist (a person who wanted to end slavery) Henry Highland Garnet praised Madison Washington in a speech in 1843. He called Madison Washington a "bright star of freedom" and a true hero. This call for open rebellion was considered too strong for some abolitionists like William Lloyd Garrison.
• Frederick Douglass, another famous abolitionist, wrote a short novel called The Heroic Slave in 1853. The main character in this story was inspired by and named Madison Washington. This short story is thought to be one of the first fictional books written by an African American.
• William Wells Brown included a chapter about Madison Washington in his book, The Black Man: His Antecedents, His Genius, and His Achievements, published in 1863.

See also

• List of slaves
• Slave revolt
• Slavery in the United States
• Coastwise slave trade