So as I continue to get settled into my new digs here in Virginia, I realize that there are a few unfinished posts from Connecticut. Although there were no big trips I did spend a few days exploring Connecticut. Of course as I did this I realized there are a million other things in CT I would like to see but they will all have to wait for another time.
One of my trips involved the quick 30 minute drive to Hartford to visit the Connecticut Historical Society Museum. Of course the place was full of all kinds of stuff in Connecticut’s history from colonialism, to Native Americans to the industries that shaped and built the state. It was a very interesting place. The exhibit that I most wanted to see however was the multi-media exhibit on the Amistad. I know I mentioned it in a post when I first arrived in Connecticut but the more you wander around in the state you realize how big it really was.
For those of you who do not know the story here is a quick rundown. The Amistad was a slave ship carrying 53 captives (including 4 children) who were illegally captured and sold into slavery. During the voyage from Cuba to the US, the captives freed themselves, armed themselves with machetes, killed all but 2 crew members and then ordered the remaining crew members to sail them back to Africa. During the day they did just that but at night they changed course hoping they could get the ship somewhere they would get rescued. Eventually the ship was captured by the Americans just off Long Island after several captives went ashore to gather supplies. The ship was then towed to New London Connecticut, where the remaining Amistad Africans were placed in custody and a huge legal battle was about to begin.
The Spaniard crew members claimed they had legally bought the captives in Cuba and therefore they were their property and should be returned to them (none of the Africans could understand anything but their native languages so this seemed unlikely to many) and the Africans themselves claimed that they were captured illegally in Africa, which meant the revolt on the ship and the killing of the crew was completely within their rights as free men protecting themselves and their freedom. The case went through every level of the US justice system and forced a lot of people to choose which side of the abolitionist fight they were on. Eventually the US Supreme Court ruled that they were in fact free men and therefore their actions on the ship were in self defence and they were set free. After months of fundraising in the area and beyond, enough money was eventually raised and the Africans returned home (which was all they wanted to begin with).
Now some of you may have seen the movie “Amistad” which does tell the story quite well but of course only focuses a few aspects and a few characters. The exhibit the historical society gave a lot of insight into many of the Africans themselves and the roles they played. The movie focused on the leader Cinque, but there were many others who played some very vital roles. It was very interesting. One of the stories that I found very interesting involved the 3 females who were among the captives. They were all children and could not be kept in jail with the others so stayed with the head jail keeper and his family in New Haven. They eventually had to be removed from his care because he treated them as domestic help.
Anyway, that really is the Coles note version of the story. It really is more complex than this but I can only tell so much of it. I totally recommend the movie to everyone. It is a wonderful story during a very dark part of American history and a very important one in the state of Connecticut. The replica schooner Amistad is normally on display off long wharf in New Haven however this summer it started an 18 month world wide tour so I was unable to see it. Hopefully I will have another chance.
Julie
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