South Carolina plans to erect a statue honoring Robert Smalls, a man who escaped slavery to become a Civil War hero and a lawmaker. It will be the first monument to an individual Black figure at the South Carolina State House in Columbia,

South Carolina will soon erect its first individual statute of a Black person, Robert Smalls, on its Statehouse lawn in its capital.

South Carolina is preparing to honor Robert Smalls, a former slave who became a prominent political leader, by erecting the first statue of an individual African American on its Statehouse lawn. Smalls, famous for his daring escape during the Civil War, will be recognized for his broader contributions to racial equality and education.

Robert Smalls will soon become the first African American to be honored with an individual statue in South Carolina. Smalls is best known for his daring escape during the Civil War, where he disguised himself in Confederate clothing,

Robert Smalls escaped slavery by stealing a slaveowner's ship and later became a South Carolina political leader, championing equal rights and literacy.

Robert Smalls escaped slavery by stealing a slaveowners ship and later became a South Carolina political leader, championing equal rights and literacy. Soon hell be honored as the first individual Black person to get a statue on the Statehouse lawn. AP video Jeffrey Collins

South Carolina is preparing to put up its first individual statue for an African American on its Statehouse lawn, honoring a man who put on Confederate clothes

South Carolina plans to erect its first-ever statue dedicated to an African American Civil War hero after years of debate.

South Carolina is preparing to put up its first individual statue for an African American on its Statehouse lawn, honoring a man who put on Confederate clothes in order to steal a slaveholder’s ship and sail his family and a dozen others to freedom during the Civil War.