Now listen to the introduction of a radio interview about the Slave Revolt of 1811. You can access it here. You can follow along with the transcript below. GUY RAZ, host:

Welcome back to ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Guy Raz.

Two hundred years ago this month, the wealthy socialites of New Orleans were just kicking off the Carnival season. The high-society plantation owners and their wives were hopping from one masquerade ball to the next, and all-night drinking parties were filled with the city's elite ruling classes. But what they didn't know is while they were partying, their slaves were plotting.

DANIEL RASMUSSEN (Author, "American Rising: The Untold Story of America's Largest Slave Revolt"): On the night of January 8th, the rain continued to come down. Water coursed along the wood roofs of the slave quarters, drowning their staccato voices with streaming, rushing noise.

Twenty-five dark faces looked on as the slave driver turned rebel Charles Deslonde laid out the plan and gave some final words of encouragement.

Every man assembled knew that his presence meant a near-certain death sentence if the revolt failed. No slave revolt in Louisiana had ever before been successful, and the punishment for failed rebellion was clear: Torture, decapitation and one's head upon a pike.

RAZ: That's author Daniel Rasmussen, reading from his new book. It's the amazing story of the largest slave revolt in US history. It's called "American Uprising."

And Daniel Rasmussen joins me here in the studio. Welcome to the program.

RASMUSSEN: It's great to be here.

–“American Rising: When Slaves Attacked New Orleans,”
Guy Raz and David Rasmussen