His mother, Lydia Polite, was a house worker enslaved by a man named Henry McKee.
It is widely believed that McKee was Robert's father, which afforded him preferential treatment in his early years.
Robert Smalls was born into slavery but would go on to become a hero of the Civil War, a successful entrepreneur, and a U.S. congressman.
His journey is one you have to read to believe.
Who's up for a story?
👇👇👇
His mother, Lydia Polite, was a house worker enslaved by a man named Henry McKee.
It is widely believed that McKee was Robert's father, which afforded him preferential treatment in his early years.
Not wanting her son to be blind to the plight of the other slaves, Lydia Polite requested that he be exposed to this work.
This experience was formative for Robert.
The 12-year-old Robert was hired as a laborer in the city, earning a tiny wage for working various jobs.
But it was in Charleston that Robert would discover his first love: the water.
He quickly displayed an aptitude for the work.
Starting as a stevedore, he soon became a wheelman on a ship, in charge of navigating through Charleston's complex harbor.
As the couple started their life together, Robert attempted to purchase their freedom but was unsuccessful.
He worried constantly that his new family would be torn apart.
Smalls was hired as a deckhand on a Confederate supply ship called the CSS Planter.
Given his status as an enslaved man, he was not allowed the title, but he held the post nonetheless.
So as Union forces formed a blockade just outside Charleston harbor (part of President Lincoln's order to blockade all Southern ports), Smalls crafted a daring plan.
It stopped briefly at a wharf, where the families of the enslaved men boarded the ship.
He expertly navigated in the darkness, his years of experience with the waterways all culminating in this moment.
He signaled the watchtowers of the various checkpoints appropriately.
Pulled up alongside a Union ship, Smalls famously called to its captain, "Good morning, sir! I’ve brought you some of the old United States guns, sir!"
He served the Union for the remaining years of the Civil War, even returning with the CSS Planter to the ceremonial raising of the American Flag at Fort Sumter in 1865.
He became a businessman, opening a store and publishing operation to support the needs of freedmen in the region.
In 1868, he was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives.
In 1874, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives.
Robert Smalls had been born into slavery. 35 years later, he was a United States congressman.
His journey - from enslaved man to Civil War hero, businessman, and congressman - is truly remarkable.
The legacy of his courage and daring must never be forgotten.
Here's to you, Robert Smalls. Here's to you.
For more on Robert Smalls, check out the resources below:
https://t.co/dFGwp0irkb
https://t.co/Ip5Un5aBJ2.
https://t.co/CETAO0qPIN
Turn on post notifications so you never miss a thread! https://t.co/53UhhfzIcp
1/ An Allegory of Finance
— Sahil Bloom (@SahilBloom) July 18, 2020
I have been posting a lot of educational (and humorous!) threads on finance, money, and economics.
My mission is simple: to demystify these concepts and make them accessible to everyone.
All of the threads can be found below. Enjoy and please share!
More from Sahil Bloom
From a young age, we are taught to view the world as black and white.
But many of life’s most important truths appear contradictory on the surface.
THREAD: 15 powerful paradoxes (on growth, business, careers, and life):
Sprezzatura (“Studied Carelessness”)
You have to put in more effort to make something appear effortless.
Effortless, elegant performances are often the result of a large volume of effortful, gritty practice.
Simple is not simple.
Slow Down to Speed Up
Want to speed up? Try slowing down.
Slowing down gives you the time to be deliberate with your actions.
You can focus, gather energy, and deploy your resources more efficiently.
It allows you to focus on leverage and ROI.
Move slow to move fast.
Learn More to Know Less
The wisdom paradox - the more you learn, the more you are exposed to the immense unknown.
This should be empowering, not frightening.
“The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know.” - Albert Einstein
Embrace lifelong learning.
Shrink to Grow
Growth is never linear.
In order to grow, sometimes you need to shrink.
Shedding deadweight may feel like a step back, but it is a necessity for long-term growth.
This principle applies to your career, startup, or life.
One step back for two steps forward.
But many of life’s most important truths appear contradictory on the surface.
THREAD: 15 powerful paradoxes (on growth, business, careers, and life):
Sprezzatura (“Studied Carelessness”)
You have to put in more effort to make something appear effortless.
Effortless, elegant performances are often the result of a large volume of effortful, gritty practice.
Simple is not simple.
Slow Down to Speed Up
Want to speed up? Try slowing down.
Slowing down gives you the time to be deliberate with your actions.
You can focus, gather energy, and deploy your resources more efficiently.
It allows you to focus on leverage and ROI.
Move slow to move fast.
Learn More to Know Less
The wisdom paradox - the more you learn, the more you are exposed to the immense unknown.
This should be empowering, not frightening.
“The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know.” - Albert Einstein
Embrace lifelong learning.
Lifelong learning is a competitive advantage.
— Sahil Bloom (@SahilBloom) June 6, 2021
But contrary to what you\u2019ve been told, lifelong learners are built, not born.
THREAD: 20 lifelong learning habits you can start developing today.
Shrink to Grow
Growth is never linear.
In order to grow, sometimes you need to shrink.
Shedding deadweight may feel like a step back, but it is a necessity for long-term growth.
This principle applies to your career, startup, or life.
One step back for two steps forward.
Short Squeeze 101
If you follow financial markets (or if you watch Billions), you've heard the phrase "short squeeze" used quite frequently.
But what is a "short squeeze" and how does it work?
Here's Short Squeeze 101!
👇👇👇
1/ First, the basics.
The "short" in "short squeeze" refers to the concept of short selling.
The basics are covered in my thread below.
https://t.co/xecJYNCxMs
TL;DR - short selling is a way of betting against a stock - i.e. betting that its price will decline.
2/ "Short interest" is a measure of how heavily an asset is shorted by the market.
It is the total number of shares that have been sold short (borrowed and sold), but have not yet been covered (bought and returned).
It is usually measured as a % of the # of shares outstanding.
3/ A "short squeeze" occurs when a heavily-shorted asset experiences a rapid upward price movement.
When this happens, short sellers may be forced to close their short positions (i.e. buy the stock and return it to the broker), further accelerating the upward price movement.
4/ Let's look at a simple example to show this in action.
We will use Tesla, one of the most heavily-shorted stocks in the world.
Imagine the stock price is $1,000 per share. This seems crazy. Ricky Rational decides to short the stock at this level.
If you follow financial markets (or if you watch Billions), you've heard the phrase "short squeeze" used quite frequently.
But what is a "short squeeze" and how does it work?
Here's Short Squeeze 101!
👇👇👇
1/ First, the basics.
The "short" in "short squeeze" refers to the concept of short selling.
The basics are covered in my thread below.
https://t.co/xecJYNCxMs
TL;DR - short selling is a way of betting against a stock - i.e. betting that its price will decline.
1/ Short Selling 101
— Sahil Bloom (@SahilBloom) July 6, 2020
With the markets continuing to rally, there has been more talk of \u201cshorting\u201d or \u201cshort selling\u201d stocks.
But what does that mean and how does it work?
Here\u2019s a quick educational primer: Short Selling 101 pic.twitter.com/JTrJmuY7fI
2/ "Short interest" is a measure of how heavily an asset is shorted by the market.
It is the total number of shares that have been sold short (borrowed and sold), but have not yet been covered (bought and returned).
It is usually measured as a % of the # of shares outstanding.
3/ A "short squeeze" occurs when a heavily-shorted asset experiences a rapid upward price movement.
When this happens, short sellers may be forced to close their short positions (i.e. buy the stock and return it to the broker), further accelerating the upward price movement.
4/ Let's look at a simple example to show this in action.
We will use Tesla, one of the most heavily-shorted stocks in the world.
Imagine the stock price is $1,000 per share. This seems crazy. Ricky Rational decides to short the stock at this level.
THREAD: With #silversqueeze trending on Twitter, it appears that this week's market spectacle may well be in the silver market.
A perfect moment for a thread on the Hunt Brothers and their alleged attempt to corner the silver market...
1/ First, let's set the stage.
The Hunt Brothers - Nelson Bunker Hunt, William Herbert Hunt, and Lamar Hunt - were the sons of Texas tycoon H.L. Hunt.
H.L. Hunt had amassed a billion-dollar fortune in the oil industry.
He died in 1974 and left that fortune to his family.
2/ After H.L.'s passing, the Hunt Brothers had taken over the family holdings and successfully managed to expand the Hunt empire.
By the late 1970s, the family's fortune was estimated to be ~$5 billion.
In the financial world, the Hunt name was as good as gold (or silver!).
3/ But the 1970s were a turbulent time in America.
Following the oil crisis of the early 1970s, the U.S. had entered a period of stagflation - a dire macroeconomic condition characterized by high inflation, low growth, and high unemployment.
4/ The Hunt Brothers - particularly Nelson Bunker and William Herbert - believed that the inflationary environment would persist and destroy the value of their family's holdings.
To hedge this risk, they turned to silver.
They began buying the metal at ~$3 per ounce in 1973.
A perfect moment for a thread on the Hunt Brothers and their alleged attempt to corner the silver market...
1/ First, let's set the stage.
The Hunt Brothers - Nelson Bunker Hunt, William Herbert Hunt, and Lamar Hunt - were the sons of Texas tycoon H.L. Hunt.
H.L. Hunt had amassed a billion-dollar fortune in the oil industry.
He died in 1974 and left that fortune to his family.
2/ After H.L.'s passing, the Hunt Brothers had taken over the family holdings and successfully managed to expand the Hunt empire.
By the late 1970s, the family's fortune was estimated to be ~$5 billion.
In the financial world, the Hunt name was as good as gold (or silver!).
3/ But the 1970s were a turbulent time in America.
Following the oil crisis of the early 1970s, the U.S. had entered a period of stagflation - a dire macroeconomic condition characterized by high inflation, low growth, and high unemployment.
Stagflation 101
— Sahil Bloom (@SahilBloom) September 2, 2020
The term "stagflation" is used frequently in discussions of monetary policy and risks in the post-COVID world.
But what is stagflation and how does it work?
Here's Stagflation 101!
\U0001f447\U0001f447\U0001f447 pic.twitter.com/at4FmaCmkM
4/ The Hunt Brothers - particularly Nelson Bunker and William Herbert - believed that the inflationary environment would persist and destroy the value of their family's holdings.
To hedge this risk, they turned to silver.
They began buying the metal at ~$3 per ounce in 1973.
More from History
Folks who don't know history just tweet whatever they want.
On Feb 1935, Bose attacked the Nazis as he was angry as Indians were described as Sub-Humans in Mein Kampf. The British arrested Bose in April 1936, because he insulted the Nazis.
#Thread
The West at this point had a soft spot for the Nazis. France, Great Britain, Netherlands, Poland all gave the Nazi Salute during the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.
Even during the Spanish Civil War (1936 - 1939), the Western powers observed neutrality as the Fascists rose in Spain.
In 1937, Hitler told British Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax that one of his fav movies was ‘The Lives of a Bengal Lancer’. Why?
‘The Lives of a Bengal Lancer’ depicted a handful of "superior race" Brits holding sway over an entire Indian subcontinent (Sub-Humans).
"Shoot Gandhi. If necessary, shoot more Congress Leaders (Nehru & Bose)."
- Hitler to Lord Halifax, Britain's Foreign Secretary
This statement by Hitler in 1937 angered many pro-Leftist leaders of the INC including Bose.
Bose reached London in Jan 1938, and he met many leaders of the British Labour Party including Attlee.
1938 & 1939 were two huge years for the Indian National Congress. As i always say, the 10-year phase from 1938 - 1948 shaped modern India and it began in 1938 Haripura session.
On Feb 1935, Bose attacked the Nazis as he was angry as Indians were described as Sub-Humans in Mein Kampf. The British arrested Bose in April 1936, because he insulted the Nazis.
#Thread
So Neta ji actually believed the Nazis could deliver freedom to India & its people?
— SonaliRanade (@sonaliranade) January 23, 2021
How can thinking Indians accept and eulogise such a gross error of judgement on the part of Bose is simply beyond me.
Not wonder Charlatans con us in the name of faux patriotism.
The West at this point had a soft spot for the Nazis. France, Great Britain, Netherlands, Poland all gave the Nazi Salute during the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.
Even during the Spanish Civil War (1936 - 1939), the Western powers observed neutrality as the Fascists rose in Spain.
In 1937, Hitler told British Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax that one of his fav movies was ‘The Lives of a Bengal Lancer’. Why?
‘The Lives of a Bengal Lancer’ depicted a handful of "superior race" Brits holding sway over an entire Indian subcontinent (Sub-Humans).
"Shoot Gandhi. If necessary, shoot more Congress Leaders (Nehru & Bose)."
- Hitler to Lord Halifax, Britain's Foreign Secretary
This statement by Hitler in 1937 angered many pro-Leftist leaders of the INC including Bose.
Bose reached London in Jan 1938, and he met many leaders of the British Labour Party including Attlee.
1938 & 1939 were two huge years for the Indian National Congress. As i always say, the 10-year phase from 1938 - 1948 shaped modern India and it began in 1938 Haripura session.
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Viruses and other pathogens are often studied as stand-alone entities, despite that, in nature, they mostly live in multispecies associations called biofilms—both externally and within the host.
https://t.co/FBfXhUrH5d
Microorganisms in biofilms are enclosed by an extracellular matrix that confers protection and improves survival. Previous studies have shown that viruses can secondarily colonize preexisting biofilms, and viral biofilms have also been described.
...we raise the perspective that CoVs can persistently infect bats due to their association with biofilm structures. This phenomenon potentially provides an optimal environment for nonpathogenic & well-adapted viruses to interact with the host, as well as for viral recombination.
Biofilms can also enhance virion viability in extracellular environments, such as on fomites and in aquatic sediments, allowing viral persistence and dissemination.
Viruses and other pathogens are often studied as stand-alone entities, despite that, in nature, they mostly live in multispecies associations called biofilms—both externally and within the host.
https://t.co/FBfXhUrH5d
Microorganisms in biofilms are enclosed by an extracellular matrix that confers protection and improves survival. Previous studies have shown that viruses can secondarily colonize preexisting biofilms, and viral biofilms have also been described.
...we raise the perspective that CoVs can persistently infect bats due to their association with biofilm structures. This phenomenon potentially provides an optimal environment for nonpathogenic & well-adapted viruses to interact with the host, as well as for viral recombination.
Biofilms can also enhance virion viability in extracellular environments, such as on fomites and in aquatic sediments, allowing viral persistence and dissemination.
