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The Amistad Case ". . . each of them are natives of Africa and were born free, and ever since have been and still of right are and ought to be free and not slaves . . ."
-- S. Staples, R. Baldwin, and T. Sedgewick, Proctors for the Amistad Africans, January 7, 1840
Background
In February of 1839, Portuguese slave hunters abducted a large group of Africans from Sierra Leone and shipped them to Havana, Cuba, a center for the slave trade. This abduction violated all of the treaties then in existence. Fifty-three Africans were purchased by two Spanish planters and put aboard the Cuban schooner Amistad for shipment to a Caribbean plantation. On July 1, 1839, the Africans seized the ship, killed the captain and the cook, and ordered the planters to sail to Africa. On August 24, 1839, the Amistad was seized off Long Island, NY, by the U.S. brig Washington. The planters were freed and the Africans were imprisoned in New Haven, CT, on charges of murder. Although the murder charges were dismissed, the Africans continued to be held in confinement as the focus of the case turned to salvage claims and property rights. President Van Buren was in favor of extraditing the Africans to Cuba. However, abolitionists in the North opposed extradition and raised money to defend the Africans. Claims to the Africans by the planters, the government of Spain, and the captain of the brig led the case to trial in the Federal District Court in Connecticut. The court ruled that the case fell within Federal jurisdiction and that the claims to the Africans as property were not legitimate because they were illegally held as slaves. The case went to the Supreme Court in January 1841, and former President John Quincy Adams argued the defendants' case. Adams defended the right of the accused to fight to regain their freedom. The Supreme Court decided in favor of the Africans, and 35 of them were returned to their homeland. The others died at sea or in prison while awaiting trial.
The Documents
Libel of Thomas R. Gedney, Lieutenant, U.S. Brig Washington,
August 29, 1839
Answer of the Proctors for the Amistad Africans,
January 7, 1840
John Quincy Adams' request for papers relating to the lower court trials of the Amistad Africans,
January 23, 1841
Opinion of the Supreme Court in United States v. The Amistad,
March 9, 1841
Statement of the Supreme Court to Circuit Court,
March 9, 1841
Amistad America Inc.: Building the Freedom Schooner - http://www.amistadamerica.org/ This educational replica of the Amistad ship sets sail in 2000. Learn more about the project and its mission at this web site.
The Amistad Case - http://www.nara.gov/education/teaching/amistad/ From the National Archives and Records Administration, this site lists the documents involved and gives the background on the case.
Amistad Project Transcriptions - http://www.gettysburg.edu/homepage/search/gusource.html "The Historical Methods class is working on a project with the Gilder Lehrman Collection on the Amistad mutiny in 1839. As part of the project the students have transcribed documents, pertaining to the case. All originals, of the documents transcribed below, are part of the Gilder Lehrman Collection, on deposit at the Pierpont Morgan Library, New York City."
The Amistad, 40 U.S. 518 (1841) - http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/amistad.html Full text of the decision is available online as well as an initial summary of the decision.
Amistad - http://www.cultures.com/features/amistad/index.html This site gives a brief account of the Amistad event. Choose between an animated version or text version.
Exploring Amistad: Race and the Boundaries of Antibellum Maritime America - http://amistad.mysticseaport.org/main/welcome.html Welcome to "Exploring Amistad." This site explores the Amistad Revolt of 1839-1842 and how we make history of it.
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History
