The Story of the Amistad: Then and Now

In 1839, Mende captives from Sierra Leone took control of the ship, the Amistad. Unable to navigate back to Africa, the ship was captured and towed into the port of New London Harbor in Connecticut. The Mende were faced with slavery or execution, and their cause was taken up by many residents throughout Connecticut. U.S. Circuit and District courts ruled in favor of the Mende. This case was then appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court and in 1841 this court agreed with the lower court decisions and the Mende captives were ordered freed.

The role that Connecticut and its citizens played has been told and retold over the years, and in 1999 a new organization was formed and a recreation of the Amistad ship was built in Mystic, Connecticut and launched in 2000. Since then, the Amistad has been used as a floating classroom to teach students and adults around the world about this important story. In 2015, Discovering Amistad was formed to take ownership of the recreation Amistad and has continued its mission to advance racial and social justice today.

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RedBaron · M

*Amistad. You can even see it in the photo. Great film about it in 1997, ironically when I was living just outside New Haven and working at the Register, the newspaper depicted in the film. Roger Sherman Baldwin, grandson of Declaration of Independence signer Roger Sherman, was the attorney who defended the Mende people.

SweetMae · 70-79, F

@RedBaron ThanK you. I corrected the typo.
That is very interesting. Thank you for sharing that part of the history.

RedBaron · M

@SweetMae I recommend the film if you haven't seen it, although I read that it has been criticized as historically inaccurate because the transatlantic slave trade was outlawed prior to 1840, when the film was set. Still a great watch, especially if you like Morgan Freeman, who played one of the Mende.

SweetMae · 70-79, F

@RedBaron I hope too see the film soon. Thank for suggesting the film.

Barefooter25 · 46-50, M

@SweetMae Anthony Hopkins did a great job portraying former President John Quincy Adams, who also represented the escaped slaves when the case was taken up to the Supreme Court.

SweetMae · 70-79, F

@Barefooter25 I didn't know that. He is on my family tree.

RedBaron · M

@SweetMae Hopkins or Adams?

SweetMae · 70-79, F

@RedBaron Adams

RedBaron · M

@SweetMae Cool. Obviously John and Abigail as well.

SweetMae · 70-79, F

@RedBaron Yes.