In 1803, Igbo captives from West Africa, also called Ibo or Ebo, revolted while on a slave ship in Dunbar Creek. It is believed that at least ten Igbo drowned, choosing death over enslavement. Among the Gullah Geechee, descendants of enslaved West Africans along the southeastern U.S. coast, the story of the Igbo's suicide was passed down through oral tradition. Expressed in the saying, "The water brought us here, the water will take us away," this tradition highlights water as a means for the enslaved Igbo to escape back to Africa. Similar stories of water or spiritual flight appear in many works by prominent African-American authors and artists as symbols of resistance. A portion of Dunbar Creek west of this location is still known as Igbo or Ibo Landing.
