On August 21, 1831, enslaved preacher Nat Turner led an uprising in Southampton County, Virginia. Turner and his followers attacked several plantations, killing dozens of white residents. The revolt was quickly suppressed by militia and local forces. In retaliation, many enslaved people and free Black residents were killed, including those not involved in the rebellion. Southern legislatures responded with even harsher laws restricting education, movement, and assembly for Black people. Nat Turner’s Rebellion remains one of the most significant slave uprisings in U.S. history and profoundly influenced debates over slavery.
