HISTORY

Nat Turner and Others Had No Choice But to Use Violence

The system of chattel slavery was violent, and so was the resistance

Composite of Nat Turner's liberations efforts Virginia in 1831 | Courtesy Library of Congress

Freedom is more precious than air because, without it, no breath is sweet. At least, that is what I imagine Nat Turner and other enslaved Africans who resisted their oppressors believed. How else could they muster the bravery to fight that which seemed inevitable to others, their eternal captivity? In America's schools, students rarely learn about Black historical figures, let alone those who don't fit the traditional script. We often learn about inventors, like George Washington Carver, an enslaved Black man who discovered at least three hundred uses for peanuts. However, when it comes to black liberation efforts, the curriculum shies away from any real discussion of their experiences or viewpoints. That is how we've come to the point where some would openly debate whether Nat Turner's 1831 rebellion was morally justifiable.

Over the weekend, a few people, when describing Black Americans' liberation efforts, suggested that Nat Turner's rebellion should have never happened, that he shouldn't have killed any White people in the process, and that his resistance only worsened conditions for Black people. Really, worse than slavery? From their perspective, being a quiet…