La Amistad
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La Amistad (Spanish: "Friendship") was a 19th century Spanish two-masted schooner of about 120 tons. The American built vessel was originally named Friendship but was renamed after being purchased by a Spanish subject.
In 1839 a rebellion broke out among the slaves it was carrying. The schooner was subsequently taken into custody by the United States Navy and a widely publicized court case ensued about the ship and the slaves. This incident figured prominently in the American abolition of slavery. For details of the incident see Amistad (case).
Strictly speaking La Amistad was not a slave ship in the sense that that term is usually used to describe those ships that transported slaves across the Atlantic to the Americas. In contrast, La Amistad engaged in shorter, coastal trade and was not primarily used to transport slaves. Usually, she carried sugar-industry products between Havana and her home port, Guanaja. She also took on passengers. In addition to transporting slaves, she transported Spanish ladies and gentlemen. At the same time that La Amistad sailed, there were vessels known as slave ships, such as Tecora (the ship that the slaves who were involved in the Amistad case were transported from Africa aboard) that were engaged in trafficking illegally captured African people from Africa to the Americas. La Amistad was not such a vessel.
On September 2, 1839 a play entitled "The Long, Low Black Schooner," purporting to be based on the revolt, opened in New York City and played to packed audiences. La Amistad was painted black at the time of the revolt.
A 1997 film by Steven Spielberg of the same name examines the historical incident.
In March 2000, a replica of the Amistad was launched from Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Connecticut. Its mission is to educate the public on the history of slavery, discrimination and civil rights. The vessel is currently homeported in New Haven, Connecticut, where the Amistad Trial occurred. It also travels to port cities for educational opportunities. The official name of the vessel is the Freedom Schooner Amistad.
See also
- Amistad (case), about the rebellion and the Supreme Court case United States v. The Amistad.
- Amistad (film), a movie about the court case.
External links
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