POLITICIAN
Robert Smalls
1839 - 1915

Robert Smalls
Robert Smalls (April 5, 1839 – February 23, 1915) was an American Republican politician who was born into slavery in Beaufort, South Carolina. During the American Civil War, the still enslaved Smalls commandeered a Confederate transport ship in Charleston Harbor and sailed it from the Confederate-controlled waters of the harbor to the U.S. blockade that surrounded it. He then piloted the ship to the Union-controlled enclave in Beaufort–Port Royal–Hilton Head area, where it became a Union warship. In the process, he freed himself, his crew, and their families. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in 17 different languages on Wikipedia. Robert Smalls is the 18,174th most popular politician (down from 17,590th in 2024), the 14,205th most popular biography from United States (down from 12,765th in 2019) and the 1,098th most popular American Politician.
Memorability Metrics
Page views of Robert Smalls by language
Among POLITICIANS
Among politicians, Robert Smalls ranks 18,174 out of 19,576. Before him are Pieter Omtzigt, Ganjar Pranowo, Giancarlo Giorgetti, Mário Centeno, Pedro Zerolo, and Lincoln Chafee. After him are Reema bint Bandar Al Saud, Shelley Moore Capito, John B. Weller, Hossein Rezazadeh, Rebecca Long-Bailey, and Dieter Althaus.
Most Popular Politicians in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsPieter Omtzigt
1974 - Present
HPI: 47.82
Rank: 18,175
Ganjar Pranowo
1968 - Present
HPI: 47.82
Rank: 18,176
Giancarlo Giorgetti
1966 - Present
HPI: 47.82
Rank: 18,177
Mário Centeno
1966 - Present
HPI: 47.82
Rank: 18,178
Pedro Zerolo
1960 - 2015
HPI: 47.81
Rank: 18,179
Lincoln Chafee
1953 - Present
HPI: 47.80
Rank: 18,180
Robert Smalls
1839 - 1915
HPI: 47.80
Rank: 18,181
Reema bint Bandar Al Saud
1975 - Present
HPI: 47.79
Rank: 18,182
Shelley Moore Capito
1953 - Present
HPI: 47.79
Rank: 18,183
John B. Weller
1812 - 1875
HPI: 47.78
Rank: 18,184
Hossein Rezazadeh
1978 - Present
HPI: 47.78
Rank: 18,185
Rebecca Long-Bailey
1979 - Present
HPI: 47.78
Rank: 18,186
Dieter Althaus
1958 - Present
HPI: 47.78
Rank: 18,187
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1839, Robert Smalls ranks 94. Before him are Ivan Kuratov, William T. Anderson, John Ballance, John Butler Yeats, Redvers Buller, and John Aitken. After him is Oliver Hazard Payne. Among people deceased in 1915, Robert Smalls ranks 128. Before him are Vasily Goncharov, John Bunny, Nelson W. Aldrich, Tom Watson, Lawrence Hargrave, and Susan La Flesche Picotte.
Others Born in 1839
Go to all RankingsIvan Kuratov
LINGUIST
1839 - 1875
HPI: 53.81
Rank: 88
William T. Anderson
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1839 - 1864
HPI: 53.41
Rank: 89
John Ballance
POLITICIAN
1839 - 1893
HPI: 52.96
Rank: 90
John Butler Yeats
ARTIST
1839 - 1922
HPI: 52.92
Rank: 91
Redvers Buller
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1839 - 1908
HPI: 51.97
Rank: 92
John Aitken
PHYSICIST
1839 - 1919
HPI: 51.41
Rank: 93
Robert Smalls
POLITICIAN
1839 - 1915
HPI: 47.80
Rank: 94
Oliver Hazard Payne
BUSINESSPERSON
1839 - 1917
HPI: 23.22
Rank: 95
Others Deceased in 1915
Go to all RankingsVasily Goncharov
FILM DIRECTOR
1861 - 1915
HPI: 52.54
Rank: 122
John Bunny
ACTOR
1863 - 1915
HPI: 52.11
Rank: 123
Nelson W. Aldrich
POLITICIAN
1841 - 1915
HPI: 52.07
Rank: 124
Tom Watson
COACH
1859 - 1915
HPI: 50.23
Rank: 125
Lawrence Hargrave
INVENTOR
1850 - 1915
HPI: 49.74
Rank: 126
Susan La Flesche Picotte
PHYSICIAN
1865 - 1915
HPI: 49.37
Rank: 127
Robert Smalls
POLITICIAN
1839 - 1915
HPI: 47.80
Rank: 128
In United States
Among people born in United States, Robert Smalls ranks 14,209 out of 20,380. Before him are Peter Chernin (1951), Tony Alva (1957), Susan Lindquist (1949), Loren Dean (1969), Willa Holland (1991), and Ronald D. Moore (1964). After him are Derrick May (1963), Blake Griffin (1989), Joe Mantello (1962), Roger Sanchez (1967), Frank Lovejoy (1912), and Shelley Moore Capito (1953).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsPeter Chernin
PRODUCER
1951 - Present
HPI: 47.80
Rank: 14,203
Tony Alva
MUSICIAN
1957 - Present
HPI: 47.80
Rank: 14,204
Susan Lindquist
BIOLOGIST
1949 - 2016
HPI: 47.80
Rank: 14,205
Loren Dean
ACTOR
1969 - Present
HPI: 47.80
Rank: 14,206
Willa Holland
ACTOR
1991 - Present
HPI: 47.80
Rank: 14,207
Ronald D. Moore
WRITER
1964 - Present
HPI: 47.80
Rank: 14,208
Robert Smalls
POLITICIAN
1839 - 1915
HPI: 47.80
Rank: 14,209
Derrick May
MUSICIAN
1963 - Present
HPI: 47.80
Rank: 14,210
Blake Griffin
BASKETBALL PLAYER
1989 - Present
HPI: 47.80
Rank: 14,211
Joe Mantello
ACTOR
1962 - Present
HPI: 47.79
Rank: 14,212
Roger Sanchez
MUSICIAN
1967 - Present
HPI: 47.79
Rank: 14,213
Frank Lovejoy
ACTOR
1912 - 1962
HPI: 47.79
Rank: 14,214
Shelley Moore Capito
POLITICIAN
1953 - Present
HPI: 47.79
Rank: 14,215
Among POLITICIANS In United States
Among politicians born in United States, Robert Smalls ranks 1,098. Before him are Alexander Martin (1740), Alberto Gonzales (1955), Hakeem Jeffries (1970), Peter Fitzgerald (1960), Sam Rayburn (1882), and Lincoln Chafee (1953). After him are Shelley Moore Capito (1953), John B. Weller (1812), Ben Nelson (1941), Alex Padilla (1973), Martha Layne Collins (1936), and Mike Oxley (1944).
Alexander Martin
1740 - 1807
HPI: 47.89
Rank: 1,092
Alberto Gonzales
1955 - Present
HPI: 47.87
Rank: 1,093
Hakeem Jeffries
1970 - Present
HPI: 47.86
Rank: 1,094
Peter Fitzgerald
1960 - Present
HPI: 47.86
Rank: 1,095
Sam Rayburn
1882 - 1961
HPI: 47.85
Rank: 1,096
Lincoln Chafee
1953 - Present
HPI: 47.80
Rank: 1,097
Robert Smalls
1839 - 1915
HPI: 47.80
Rank: 1,098
Shelley Moore Capito
1953 - Present
HPI: 47.79
Rank: 1,099
John B. Weller
1812 - 1875
HPI: 47.78
Rank: 1,100
Ben Nelson
1941 - Present
HPI: 47.78
Rank: 1,101
Alex Padilla
1973 - Present
HPI: 47.72
Rank: 1,102
Martha Layne Collins
1936 - 2025
HPI: 47.68
Rank: 1,103
Mike Oxley
1944 - 2016
HPI: 47.67
Rank: 1,104













































