Amistad

This sentence, written in the Declaration of Independence, contains some of the most powerful words ever written. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…” (US 1776). They invoke feelings of pride and integrity in the hearts and minds of most Americans. However, these magnificent, well-intentioned words that were written in 1776 are over-shadowed by feelings of shame, sorrow and betrayal for how men, women and children were rejected as human beings worthy of equality simply because of the color of their skin. While things have improved for African Americans in the past two hundred years, we still have not gotten it exactly right. The treatment of African Americans is still a source of frustration for those who truly want to believe in the power of the words “all men are created equal”.

Sixty-three years after these famous words were first written, a significant event occurred that had profound political consequences and propelled our nation on a course that inevitably helped pave the way for Civil War. The case of the “Amistad” ignited the abolitionist movement in the Northeast and caused a political and legal firestorm that ended up going all the way to the Supreme Court. Disturbingly, the case was not about the human beings that were the central focus of the story – it centered solely on the issue of “property rights”. Hundreds of Africans were captured illegally from Mendeland, South Africa by Portuguese slave traders who then transported them to Havana, Cuba which was a busy hub for slave trade. Fifty three of the slaves were bought by the Spanish and transported to the Amistad, a Cuban vessel for transport to the Caribbean. The men, women and children African Americans were stripped ...

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...mpetent courts”. Then, in one of his most powerful arguments he says, “Why are we here? Do we fear that all of our courts missed the truth or are we afraid of civil war? Even as it stands before us, the truth has been driven from this case like a slave. This is the most important case that has ever come before this court because it concerns the very nature of man. He goes on to say that, “If the south is right, what should we do with that annoying document, the Declaration of Independence which says that all men are created equal. I have a modest suggestion, rip it in half”. In his final words he says, “We need your wisdom. Give us the courage to do what is right and if it means Civil War, then let it come and when it comes, may it be finally the last battle of the American Revolution”. The court decided in favor of the Africans and they were finally freed.