Efforts to canonize the original Confessions of Nat Turneras a great work of American literature in the 1990s reflected its rising stature within the academy. It was in August of 1831 that Nat Turner led a rebellion of Virginia slaves that left dozens of people dead, including small children. One day while praying at his plow, the same Spirit that spoke to the prophets in former days spoke directly to him: Seek ye the kingdom of Heaven and all things shall be added unto you. This he interpreted as a sign from God that his great purpose would soon be revealed. without attempting to make this slightest resistance" (p. 3). Why did people like Booker T. Washington? In Virginia in August 1831, Nat Turner led the only effective and sustained slave revolt in U.S. history, during which some 60 white persons were slain. Source: Thomas Gray, The Confessions of Nat Turner: The Leader of the Late Insurrections in Southampton, Va. As Fully and Voluntarily Made to Thomas R. Gray, in the Prison Where He Was Confined, November 5, 1831. In To Wake the Nations: Race in the Making of American Literature (1993), literary critic Eric Sundquist argued that the idea of a conspiracy between Gray and Turner obscured the intricate antagonism between slaves voice and masters voice that the language and formal structure of the Confessions makes evident. Sundquist characterized the Confessions of Nat Turner as more of a literary collaboration thatlike slavery itselfcould be read from the dominant perspective of the enslaver or from the subversive perspective of the enslaved person. Why did Turner write the Frontier Thesis? The incident ended the Emancipation movement in that . By clicking Check Writers Offers, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy. Createyouraccount. The Confessions of Nat Turner was published within weeks of the Turner's execution on November 11, 1831, and remains an important source for historians. This was the second time since 1800, when a rebellion planned by a Henrico County slave named Gabriel was thwarted, that white Virginians had experienced the chaos and terror of a conspiracy of enslaved people. Thomas R. Gray was a lawyer in Southampton, Virginia, where he visited Nat Turner in jail. The eloquently and classically expressed confession attributed to Turner appeared to be calculated to cast some doubt over the authenticity of the narrative, and to give the Bandit a character for intelligence which he does not deserve, and ought not to have received., Still, the Enquirer saw the pamphlet as a useful weapon against northern abolitionists. He also says that he had a natural talent for planning and leadership, so that, even when he was a child, the other black children expected him to plan their roguery because of his superior judgment (Gray, 5). On August 21, 1831, Turner led a small army that used axes, hatchets, knives, and muskets to kill 55 white Virginians. In February, Southampton, located in southern Virginia, experienced a solar eclipse, which Turner interpreted as a providential signal to start recruiting potential rebels. Turner believed that God also communicated to him through the natural world. Turner is tormented by his inability to pray or read the Bible, two matters that Thomas Gray, an atheist lawyer and magistrate, uses to coax Turner into making his "confessions." Nearly two centuries later, the legacy of that question is still evolving. First, God communicated directly to him: at one point, the Lord had shewn me things that had happened before my birth. At another point, the Holy Ghost had revealed itself to me. On May 12, 1828, the Spirit instantly appeared to me. When asked by Gray what Turner meant by the Spirit, Turner responded The Spirit that spoke to the prophets in former days. Turner saw himself as a modern prophet. 10-11). Most slaves could not read. How did Thomas R. Gray describe Nat Turner? The lawyer Thomas R. Gray meets with Nat Turner, accused of leading a slave revolt, in the Southampton County jail. How did William Bradford describe the Pequot? When captured after the revolt, Turner readily placed his revolt in a biblical context, comparing himself at some times to the Old Testament prophets, at another point to Jesus Christ. This interview was published as, "The Confessions of. Turner had many reasons for revolting, but his most important motive was his hatred of slavery and the suffering his people had to endure. Turner was instructed to await the appearance of a sign in the heavens before communicating his great work to any others. Examine what slavery means. He tells of being spoken to by the Holy Spirit, of seeing visions and signs in the heavensthat I was ordained for some great purpose in the hands of the Almighty. In Grays view, He is a complete fanatic, or plays his part most admirably. On November 5th, Nat Turner was tried and condemned to be executed; on November 9th, he was hanged. Why is the Turner Thesis important to understanding America? He published The Confessions of Nat Turner, the leader of the late insurrection in Southampton, Va., as fully and voluntarily made to Thomas R. Gray in November 1831, after Turner had been executed. Encyclopedia Virginia, Virginia Humanities. He published The Confessions of Nat Turner, the leader of the late insurrection in Southampton, Va., as fully and voluntarily made to Thomas R. Gray in November 1831, after Turner had been executed.. For as the blood of Christ had been shed on this earth, and had . Both Gabriel and Nat Turner were expected to confess their guilt, provide information on means and motive, and, if necessary, help put idle rumors to rest. The repercussions of the rebellion in the South were severe: many slaves who had no involvement in the rebellion were murdered out of suspicion or revenge. A deeply religious person, Nat Turner believed that he had been called by God to lead African Americans out of slavery. Nat Turner destroyed the white Southern myth that slaves were actually happy with their lives or too docile to undertake a violent rebellion. What evidence do you have for answering this . Description Nat Turner (1800-1831) was known to his local "fellow servants" in Southampton County as "The Prophet." On the evening of Sunday, August 21, 1831, he met six associates in the woods at Cabin Pond, and about 2:00 a.m. they began to enter local houses and kill the white inhabitants. My Account | Why was Nat Turner's Rebellion important? As a lawyer working on Turners case and a supporter of slavery, Gray probably did not feel compelled to present Turners motives and description of the insurrection. [11], In the 1960s, William Styron published a fictional and controversial account of the Nat Turner rebellion using the same title as Gray's pamphlet, The Confessions of Nat Turner. Gray tried to help his family but, in the end, he also brought himself down into debt along with them. Virginia Humanities acknowledges the Monacan Nation, the original people of the land and waters of our home in Charlottesville, Virginia. His answer was, I do not. Stone cautioned, however, against viewing the Confessionsof Nat Turner as a fixed pole of reference, setting terms for critical discourse and settling questions of historical fact or interpretation. Each retelling of the story represented a new social transaction in which Grays text figured as one more or less authoritative voice. - Definition & Abolition. Your Privacy Rights Give us your email address and well send this sample there. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital In an effort to make Turner appear more sinister, Gray described Turner as being a gloomy fanatic revolving in the recesses of his own dark, bewildered, and overwrought mind, schemes of indiscriminate massacre to the whites (Gray, 3). Then in 1828 he became a Justice of the Peace and served as a magistrate for the first time. While Turner acknowledged Gray's rendering of his confession as "full, free, and voluntary" during his trial, there can be no doubt that Turner's execution was inevitable, regardless of his confession, given the climate in the state following the insurrection (p. 5). With the exception of African-American folk memories, every one of the routes into the mind and world of Nat Turner is through sources produced by people who deeply hated the rebels and their leader. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. How does David Livingstone describe Africa? Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Magazines, Digital Gray attributed the insurrection to religious enthusiasm and fanaticism of a mind warped and perverted by the influence of early impressions. That Turner was every bit the madman he appeared to be, Gray had little doubt. When 1821 comes around hes built his own house, bringing his property worth up to about $500. What was Frederick Jackson Turner main reason for encouraging imperialism? What reasons does Gray give for publishing Nat Turner's confession? question, I suggest you search "The Confessions Of Nat Turner by The exact number killed remains unsubstantiatedvarious sources claim anywhere from fifty to sixty-five. 2014). Likewise, on August 21, 1831, Turner met for the first time rebels whom he had not personally recruited. This electronic online edition is based on the first edition, published at Baltimore, MD, in November 1831. Baltimore: T. R. Gray, 1831. Nat begins to think back on his past life and tells the novel in a series of flashbacks. In a prefatory note To the Public, Gray spelled out his aims. (2016, Dec 25). He was born sometime in the early 1800s, the exact date is unknown. Then figure out what the total cost of the trip would be.? Kenneth S. Greenberg, professor, and Chair of the History Department at Suffolk University explains why Gray's book is not reliable as one may think. Gray met with Turner at the jail on November 1, introduced the Confessions as evidence at Turners trial on November 5, and secured a copyright for his pamphlet on November 10, the day before Turner was hanged. It was also a family tradition to breed fine horses. Home | How was George Washington treated by Edward Braddock? The story began, Turner said, in his childhood, when he . 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