Prosser's Gabriel

[G]Does anyone know the name Ga[C]briel Pr[G]osser?

[G]My conscience says he’s the one that his[D]tory mi[G]ssed.

[G]A blacksmith by trade up at Broo[C]kfield Plan[G]tation,

[G]A Henrico County slave born of ow[D]ner Th[G]omas.

[G]If you listen closely you’ll h[C]ear the words per[G]fect,

[G]The Caribbean uprising caught f[D]ire in this l[G]and.

Up and down the James R[G]iver, Pam[C]unky and Appo[G]mattox,

Tob[G]acco soil gone bad deferred a mov[D]ement for the bl[G]acks.

Ni[G]ne years before, down in Sa[C]nto Dom[G]ingo,

Sl[G]aves refused to submit and took the ri[D]ght of all m[G]en.

Vir[G]ginia whites got nervous and hi[C]red more mil[G]itias,

[G]As blacks inspired, plotted and pa[D]ssed on their pl[G]ans.

Mi[G]ster Prosser’s Gabriel was sm[C]art as he was st[G]rong,

[G]A head of keloid scars and a mind of kno[D]wing right and wr[G]ong.

Vo[G]ted general at twenty-four in the y[D]ear of eighteen-hun[G]dred,

Hau[G]nted by the hymns and wailing of his fe[D]llow sl[G]aves.

N[G]ow does anyone know the name Gab[C]riel Pro[G]sser?

[G]My conscience says he’s the one that his[D]tory mis[G]sed.

[G]A blacksmith by trade up at Broo[C]kfield Plan[G]tation,

[G]A Henrico County slave born of ow[D]ner Th[G]omas.

[G]It was on an August night just North of Ric[C]hmond, Vir[G]ginia,

Gab[G]riel’s men gathered as their ow[D]ners they sl[G]ept.

S[G]ome would burn the Capital to distract resi[C]dents and mas[G]ters,

Wh[G]ile others took the city and fr[D]eed the con[G]victs.

W[G]ell the whites they knew nothing, never s[C]een what could h[G]it ‘em,

Not[G]hing like this could happen to their car[D]efree black m[G]en.

B[G]ut think about freedom, now th[C]ink about sla[G]very.

Bl[G]acks armed themselves with muskets and hom[D]emade bay[G]onets.

W[G]ith a white flag on the Capital, all bl[C]acks they would r[G]ise.

A[G]ll whites spared, would l[D]ose but an a[G]rm.

Yo[G]u’re a coward if you own men for pr[D]ofit and gr[G]eed,

Yo[G]u’re the coward of all and for all you m[D]ust bl[G]eed.

N[G]ow does anyone know the name Gab[C]riel Pro[G]sser?

[G]My conscience says he’s the one that his[D]tory mis[G]sed.

[G]A blacksmith by trade up at Broo[C]kfield Plan[G]tation,

[G]A Henrico County slave born of ow[D]ner Th[G]omas.

Pha[G]raoh and Tom ratted out Gab[C]riel Pro[G]sser,

Th[G]eir owner was Mosby, and nei[D]ghbor of h[G]im.

T[G]hey say the sky seemed seized with r[C]ain and ligh[G]tning,

[G]On the night of August thirtieth one could s[D]ee nor st[G]and.

T[G]he militias’ let loose to hunt Gab[C]riel Pro[G]sser,

W[G]ho took to the swamps as they impr[D]isoned his m[G]en.

Fla[G]gged a boat whose captain was a Meth[C]odist pre[G]acher,

B[G]ut a traitor slave turned him [D]in in the e[G]nd.

Th[G]ey hung Gabriel down at Br[C]oad and 15th Str[G]eet,

L[G]ord he would not give a word [D]up on his m[G]en.

B[G]ut he took that noose and he t[C]ook it with ho[G]nor,

H[G]e’s buried beneath a lot of parked cars, n[D]ow, and pav[G]ement.

Th[G]ere’s no monument, there’s no st[C]one here to see h[G]im,

J[G]ust black asphalt planked by high-rise hos[D]pital cha[G]ins.

[G]If I had it my way we’d see memo[C]rials clim[G]bin',

[G]To a true and honest hero, Pros[D]ser’s Gab[G]riel.

N[G]ow does anyone know the name Gab[C]riel Pro[G]sser?

[G]My conscience says he’s the one that his[D]tory mis[G]sed.

[G]A blacksmith by trade up at Broo[C]kfield Plan[G]tation,

[G]A Henrico County slave born of ow[D]ner Tho[G]mas.