Denmark Vesey House

This tour which can be taken on foot or by horse drawn carriage, begins at the home of Vesey where he allegedly resided in 1799 as a free man and a carpenter who had one his freedom in a lottery. He attended the 2nd Presbyterian Church where white and Black congregants attended freely. Vesey grew more closely to the teaching of Richard Allen, the leader of the first independent Black church, the African Methodist Episcopal Church where the message was steeped in liberation theology. He would become a member of Emmanuel AME where it is believed to be the site of the beginnings of his plan of

rebellion.

Denmark Vesey (1767-1822) won a street lottery in 1799 that allowed him to purchase his freedom from Captain Joseph Vesey for $600. The catalyst to end slavery is often credited with the fact that he was unable to purchase the freedom of his wife and children. There is no evidence that Vesey resided in 56 Bull Street, however it is cited that he set up a carpentry shop nearby. Vesey quickly became a prominent leader in the African Methodist Episcopal church where he often dissented with the white Charleston population. Through his leadership and message, Vesey was able to galvanize members of the church to plot a rebellion against the white population. The goal was to seize guard houses, weaponry, free slaves, kill the white population, burn down the city, and escape to Haiti. Vesey's plan was cut short when he was exposed, tried, and hanged for his planned rebellion.