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Vesey was taken from West Africa to South Carolina as a youth, where he was made a slave. In 1800, he won a street lottery; he used the money to start a successful carpentry business and thus escape slavery.

However, he retained immense empathy with American slaves. He planned what would have been the largest slave rebellion in American history. His insurrection, which was to take place on July 14th, 1822, became known by about 9,000 slaves and free blacks throughout Charleston who were to participate. The plot was somehow leaked, and Vesey, along with dozens of other men, were hanged.