A senate RESOLUTION

 

To recognize the five hundredth anniversary of the San Miguel de Gualdape Revolt and to honor the legacy of those who first fought for freedom.

 

Whereas, 2026 marks the historic five hundredth anniversary of the San Miguel de Gualdape Revolt, a pivotal yet often overlooked chapter in the history of North America; and

 

Whereas, in 1526, Spanish magistrate Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón established San Miguel de Gualdape, the first European settlement in what is now the continental United States, likely located along the coast of present-day South Carolina or Georgia; and

 

Whereas, among the six hundred settlers were approximately one hundred enslaved Africans-the first documented instance of Black enslavement in North America-who were forced to endure brutal labor, starvation, and disease; and

 

Whereas, in October 1526, these enslaved individuals rose up in defiance of their captors, carrying out the first recorded rebellion against slavery in the territory that would become the United States; and

 

Whereas, during the rebellion, the enslaved Africans freed Spanish settlers who were imprisoned by mutineers and set fire to the homes of Spanish mutineers, a courageous act that contributed to the eventual collapse of the colony; and

 

Whereas, the self-liberated Africans of the revolt escaped into the wilderness to live among the local Indigenous population, becoming the first non-native community to peacefully coexist with Native Americans. This union marked the birth of a multi-racial tradition of resistance and the first known instance of Afro-Indigenous maroonage in North America; and

 

Whereas, this uprising, occurring two hundred fifty years before the Declaration of Independence, remains a powerful testament to the enduring human spirit and the foundational quest for liberty and equality on this continent; and

 

Whereas, recognizing this five hundredth anniversary provides an opportunity for all American citizens to reflect on our shared history, honor the ancestors of this resistance, and recommit to the principles of freedom and justice for all.  Now, therefore,

 

Be it resolved by the Senate:

 

That the members of the South Carolina Senate, by this resolution, recognize the five hundredth anniversary of the San Miguel de Gualdape Revolt and honor the legacy of those who first fought for freedom.

 

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Gullah Goodz Heritage Foundation.

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