Amistad to Sail Slave Trade Route

Jun 21, 09:55 PM

Current Headlines: By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - For the next 16 months, a ship bearing the name Amistad once again will sail the Atlantic, tracing a 19th- century route of the slave trade.

The Freedom Schooner Amistad, a near-replica of the ship that sparked a slave revolt, departs today from its home port in New Haven and embarks upon a 14,000-mile voyage to Nova Scotia, Britain and Africa.

"We believe that the Amistad story is a landmark case in American history and deserves to be told and recognized," said William Minter, chairman of the project. "It's a very exciting venture."

In 1839, more than 50 African captives en route to Cuba on the Amistad schooner rebelled and took over the ship. After landing on Long Island, they were captured and jailed in New Haven.

With help from area abolitionists, the surviving Africans won their freedom in a historic court battle that started in Connecticut and ended in the U.S. Supreme Court. Former President John Quincy Adams represented the slaves.

Their story was depicted in a 1997 movie directed by Steven Spielberg.

Freedom Schooner Amistad, constructed at Mystic Seaport in Connecticut, was launched in 2000.

The ship has traveled around the country, but this is its first voyage tracing the slave route.

"I've seen people just stand mute," said Capt. William Pinkney, who will sail for part of the voyage. "It's a touchstone to a past that rarely gets talked about."

The new voyage will retrace the slave industry triangle with stops at nearly 20 Atlantic ports that played an important role in the trade.

Ten college students from Britain and the U.S. will join the crew when it sets sail, learning the legacy of the slave trade. Through live Web casts and e-mail correspondence with schools and museums around the world, the students are expected to share their experiences with millions worldwide.

"I just thought it would be a brilliant experience," said Saphra Ross, a 20-year-old college student from Britain taking the voyage.

Seth Bruin, a 19-year-old college student from Maryland, said he hopes to incorporate what he learns into a career as an American history teacher.

"Slavery is just as big a part of U.S. history as the signing of the constitution," Bruin said. "They don't spend the time that needs to be spent on it in school."

The Amistad will return to the United States next year to commemorate the bicentenary of legislation to ban the importation of slaves.

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