On August 26, 1839 the Amistad, a slave ship, was seized by the US.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY

Slave Ship Amistad Captured

On August 26, 1839 an interesting event occurred off the coast of the United States.

A few months before, in late June, Portuguese slave hunters loaded kidnapped Africans, mostly Mende people from Sierra Leone, onto a ship bound for Cuba. Two Spanish plantation owners purchased 53 of them from Cuba, and they were transferred to the Spanish ship Amistad (“Friendship”). On July 1st, the Africans revolted and seized the ship. They ordered

the surviving crew to return them to Africa. The owners and crew agreed but instead set sail toward the United States.

On August 26, 1839, the Amistad was intercepted by an American naval vessel off the coast of Long Island. All onboard the ship were taken to Connecticut, where the plantation owners were freed and the Africans imprisoned. The Spanish claimed the slaves as Spanish property and demanded they be returned. President Van Buren was willing to appease the Spanish government, but American abolitionists disagreed and raised

money to defend the Africans in court.

In January 1840, the case was brought before a district court, where attorneys (supported by statements from Joseph Cinque) argued the Africans had never been slaves. The court ruled in favor of the Africans, and the federal government appealed.

The case was heard at the US Supreme Court in February 1841. Attorneys persuaded John Quincy Adams to join the abolitionist legal team. At the age of 73, with bad eyesight and trembling hands, he argued his part of the case for 9 hours over 3 days. Justice Joseph Story described Adams’ argument as “extraordinary...for its power, for its bitter sarcasm.” The Court decided 7-1 in favor of the Africans and their immediate release was ordered.

Abolitionists raised the money to return the Mendes to their homeland. Before the group left in November, they gifted John Quincy Adams a Mende language Bible and thanked him for his efforts. Adams replied, "It was from that book [the Bible] that I learnt to espouse your cause when you were in trouble, and to give thanks to God for your deliverance."

The Amistad is an inspiring story of many selfless people who came together in defense of strangers. This lesson, to show consideration and aid those who may not be able to repay a kindness, can be put into practice in our own lives.

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with an emphasis on our moral, religious and constitutional heritage.