The Stono Rebellion, also known as Cato's Conspiracy, was the largest slave rebellion in the British mainland colonies prior to the American Revolution. It took place on September 9, 1739, in the colony of South Carolina.

A group of about 20 enslaved Africans gathered near the Stono River, seized firearms and ammunition from a store, and began marching south towards Spanish Florida, where they believed they could find freedom. Along the way, they recruited more slaves to join their rebellion.

The rebels engaged in a series of violent clashes with white colonists and militia on their journey. The colonial government quickly organized a militia to suppress the rebellion, resulting in a bloody confrontation. Many of the rebels were killed, and others were captured and executed.

In the aftermath of the Stono Rebellion, the colonial government passed the Negro Act of 1740, which imposed harsher restrictions on enslaved Africans, including prohibitions on assembly, education, and movement. The rebellion also led to stricter slave codes and increased surveillance and control over the enslaved population in South Carolina.

The Stono Rebellion is significant in Black history as an act of resistance against the brutal institution of slavery and a reminder of the ongoing struggle for freedom and justice faced by enslaved Africans in the American colonies.