Gabriel Prosser was born sometime in 1775 in Virginia. The Haitian Revolution of the times did not go unnoticed. In the plantation houses it was

whispered with trembling voices of fear, but in the slave cabins it was whispered

with fascinated eyes and inspiration. Gabriel Prosser would be the first to carry on

Toussaint's battle cry. It was said that Gabriel was a deeply religious man who

wore his long hair in imitation of his biblical idol, Samson. At the age of 24

Gabriel, along with his wife Nanny and several co-conspirators, laid the plans for

a slave uprising in Richmond, Virginia. By August 1800, several thousand

(estimates range from two thousand to fifty thousand) slaves had been enlisted.

Gabriel's plans were never able to come to pass however for the plot was

betrayed by another slave to his master. Gabriel was arrested and tried in court.

In a speech at his trial he openly called the proceedings a mockery and demanded

to be immediately executed. For their attempts at freedom, Gabriel and thirty-four

of his co-conspirators were convicted and hanged.