05/14/2026
I’m excited to share we have broken ground on the Robert Smalls Monument at the South Carolina State House. As Chair of the Robert Smalls Monument Commission, I am honored to help see this important project through to completion.
Robert Smalls was born enslaved in Beaufort and went on to change history. During the Civil War, he courageously freed himself, his family, and others by commandeering a Confederate vessel and delivering it to Union forces. He later served in the South Carolina Legislature and the United States Congress, dedicating his life to freedom, equality, and public service.
Monuments tell stories and reveal who we choose to remember. This monument will not merely honor one man. It will honor perseverance over oppression, citizenship over exclusion, service over division, and hope over fear.
I am especially grateful that Republicans and Democrats came together to make this historic moment possible.
“My race needs no special defense, for the past history of them in this country proves them to be the equal of any people anywhere. All they need is an equal chance in the battle of life.”
— Robert Smalls
I encourage you to donate to this historic effort here:
https://www.admin.sc.gov/robertsmalls
State leaders broke ground where a statue of Civil War Hero Robert Smalls will be placed after the state secures funding for the memorial.