Smalls left a legacy of freedom for his family and slaves by planning their escape and being motivated and courageous enough to actually come up with a plan. After his long awaited escape, Smalls surrendered The Planter and earned an audience with president Lincoln. Lincoln assigned him into the war as a recruiter of African American slaves, and there he successfully recruited almost 5,000 blacks. Because the blacks took part in the war, they got the chance to earn their freedom. Smalls became an inspiration for later African American heroes that changed the United States. Robert Smalls left a legacy of freedom for African American slaves and for his family.