Amistad Seized – Anniversary

Aug 29, 1839. In January 1839, 53 Africans were abducted nearmodern-day Sierra Leone, taken to Cuba and sold as slaves. While being transferred to another part of the island on the ship Amistad, the Africans, led by Cinque, grabbed control of the ship, telling the surviving crew to take them back to Africa. However, the crew secretly changed course, and the ship sailed to Long Island, NY, where it and its cargo were seized as salvage. The Amistad was towed to New Haven, CT, where the Africanswere imprisoned and a lengthy legal battle began to determine if they wereproperty to be returned to Cuba, salvage for the US Coast Guard or free men. John Quincy Adams took their case all the way to the Supreme Court, where on Mar 9, 1841, it was determined that they were free and could return to Africa.