Gullah Jack

Who was Gullah Jack?

Gullah Jack, also known as Couter Jack and sometimes referred to as "Gullah" Jack Pritchard, was a Methodist, an African conjurer, and a slave to Paul Pritchard in Charleston, South Carolina. Little was known about his background, except that he was of Angolan origin and was shipped from Zanzibar to America under Zephaniah Kingsley's direction. Gullah Jack' is historically known for aiding a free black man named Denmark Vesey in planning a large slave rebellion that would become known as Denmark Vesey's slave conspiracy in 1822. Using his Africa-based influence, Gullah Jack recruited for Vesey's plot African-born slaves as soldiers and provided them with charms as protection against the "buckra". He is also said to have used his spiritual powers to terrify others into keeping silent about the conspiracy. Historians believe Jack's strong African culture, contrasted against Vesey's preaching, helped attract many of the slaves that joined the revolt.

The Vesey plot involved taking over the state armory to arm rural slaves who would rise up and assist the others in revolt. The slaves would then kill the whites of Charleston, take the city, and finally use the city's ships to escape, supposedly, to Haiti, where slaves had overthrown the white government and now ruled. Eventually, the Vesey plot was leaked by other slaves that were coerced to confession. Consequently, South Carolina authorities hanged Vesey, Gullah Jack, and 34 other leading conspirators.