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For most Americans, Jan. 6 was once an ordinary, ho-hum day. 

That changed in 2021, when millions of television viewers watched thousands of Trump supporters assault the U.S. Capitol in their violent attempt to stop Joe Biden鈥檚 presidential victory. 

 as the mob shattered  and vandalized .

While those images and the subsequent  are part of the collective memory, a debate still rages over what exactly to call what happened that day.

Was it a rally , or, as many , 鈥渓egitimate political discourse鈥�?

Or was it , as most observers have called the Jan. 6 attack?

Words Matter

who teaches , I am well versed in concepts of protests, rebellions, and insurrections. 

In fact,  is heavily influenced by  and other movements focused on Black liberation and safety.

In an article published in the academic journal , my colleague  and I argue that any discussion about American insurrections must include the . 

For centuries, insurrections were among the only tools enslaved people had for social change and, ultimately, freedom. 

From Nat Turner鈥檚 insurrection in 1831, the story of which was , to the squelched insurrection in 1687 of a Black man named Sam who was owned by , insurrections and rebellions have always been used by Black people who were enslaved in the U.S.

In my view, what happened on Jan. 6, 2021, was  of a  that was used to remedy an injustice enshrined in the law.

But unlike Trump鈥檚 false claims of voter fraud, which were legally challenged and proved untrue, insurrections by enslaved people were based on a legitimate flaw in the U.S. Constitution鈥攖he denial of full citizenship based on skin color and race.

Insurrections by Enslaved People

, an insurrectionist is 鈥渨hoever incites, sets on foot, assists, or engages in any rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States or the laws thereof, or gives aid or comfort thereto.鈥�

If found guilty, an insurrectionist could be fined or imprisoned for no more than 10 years and 鈥渟hall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.鈥� 

In my view, rebellions of the enslaved can aptly be classified as insurrections. 

From the early 1600s, historians  there were around 250 insurrections in America that involved 10 or more enslaved people using violence to fight for equal rights.

In his , historian  writes, 鈥淣othing has been more neglected, nor, more distorted than the story of slave revolts.鈥�

A few of them are summarized below.

September 1739: 13 Original Colonies

The  was the largest and deadliest insurrection by enslaved people in the 18th century. 

In a bloody fight for freedom, dozens of enslaved men raided a firearms store and attempted to journey to freedom. The group grew to about 60 people and continued to fight,  quickly stopped the progress. 

By dusk, the insurrection had ended. Half the men were killed and the other half captured, left to an uncertain fate.

January 1811: New Orleans

Inspired by the , when people of color overthrew their French colonizers at the turn of the 19th century,  led one of the  in American history. 

Armed with muskets and ammunition stolen from the plantation鈥檚 basement, formerly enslaved people mobilized and killed their owner  and his son, Gilbert.

Donning the military uniforms once proudly worn by their oppressors, the group continued throughout New Orleans, wreaking havoc on plantations along the way. It is estimated that between  participated in the insurrection before a white militia defeated them.

August 1831: Southampton County, Virginia

One of the most  and well-known slave insurrections in history was led by . As a preacher, Turner  to unite the enslaved and lead the largest insurrection in American history.

Known as the , Turner鈥檚 rebellion started where he was enslaved, the Travis plantation near , the first permanent English settlement in what鈥檚 now the United States. After he and around 70 rebels killed the plantation鈥檚 owner, they marched throughout the county, resulting in the .

Thirty years later, in 1861, The Atlantic  by white abolitionist .

鈥淭he black men passed from house to house, not pausing, not hesitating, as their terrible work went on,鈥� Higginson wrote. 鈥淔rom every house they took arms and ammunition, and from a few, money; on every plantation they found recruits.鈥�

Unequal Insurrections?

In their article 鈥渟 Language Evolved,鈥� National Public Radio journalists detailed the importance of using specific language to cover Jan. 6.聽

Merriam-Webster  in individuals looking up the definition of 鈥渋nsurrection鈥� in the days following Jan. 6, 2021.

The word was also listed as , losing to 鈥渧accine.鈥�

Despite the interest in the word and the ongoing debate over the events of Jan. 6, 2021, in my view, some insurrections are more equal than others as the legitimate plight of enslaved people continues to be be ignored, overlooked, and all but forgotten.

This article was originally published by聽. It has been republished here with permission.