Crucible on the Sound: The Chowan River as a Theater of Forced Labor and Resistance

• In Event: Enslaved Insurrection

Description for Program

This microhistory critically examines a suppressed insurrection that occurred in Bertie County, North Carolina, during the summer of 1802. The rebellion, involving scores of enslaved individuals, was uncovered before it could be realized. Its discovery, however, led to legal action against forty-four enslaved men and culminated in the executions of eleven bondsmen. Despite the significance of this event, it has received little scholarly attention, and the story of the uprising has remained untold. Drawing on court testimonies from over seventy-nine enslaved individuals, this study painstakingly reconstructs the attempted uprising, providing a detailed and comprehensive account of this remarkable, little-known event. An analysis of rivers is integral to this study. The Roanoke and Chowan rivers, which traverse Bertie County, played a pivotal role in the 1802 insurrection. These waterways not only served as sites of forced labor but also emerged as spaces where enslaved individuals could resist oppression and strategize their rebellion. Moreover, these rivers facilitated intercounty collaboration among enslaved insurgents and aided in the dissemination of insurrectionary information. In addition, this essay examines the actions of the Bertie County authorities, who swiftly charged, tried, and convicted numerous enslaved men for their alleged roles in the attempted rebellion. It scrutinizes the egregious conflicts of interest within the Bertie County court and questions whether this court should be viewed as an instrument of extrajudicial justice. Ultimately, this study critically examines the numerous ways enslaved Bertie County residents resisted their bondage, highlighting their agency, literacy, and organizational skill in planning the rebellion, as well as their strategic use of waterways as tools of resistance. By examining the intersection of geography, social structures, and agency, this essay illuminates the resilience and resourcefulness of enslaved communities in North Carolina as they navigated and defied systemic oppression.

Author

• Claire Fowler