Recognizing and commending the name change of the USS Chancellorsville to the USS Robert Smalls, in honor of the late Representative Robert Smalls, an extraordinary native of Beaufort, South Carolina, and his significant contributions to American history.

This resolution (HRES 533) commends the U.S. Navy for renaming the USS Chancellorsville to the USS Robert Smalls. It honors Robert Smalls, an enslaved person born in Beaufort, South Carolina, who escaped slavery in 1862 by commandeering a Confederate ship and later became the first African American congressman from South Carolina during Reconstruction. The resolution recognizes Smalls' Civil War heroism, legislative service, and advocacy for civil rights. It is a ceremonial act with no policy or funding impact, solely paying tribute to Smalls' historical legacy.