The National Park Service invites you to travel the Amistad. The Amistad was a Spanish schooner taken over by a group of captured Africans seeking to escape impending slavery in Cuba. It lobbed the country into a debate about slavery, freedom, and the meaning of citizenship.
Explore more Discover our Shared Heritage Travel Itineraries and learn about our diverse heritage by visiting Telling All Americans' Stories.
The Amistad Story

Trip Idea: Travel the Amistad Story!
Traveling in and around Connecticut in the near future? Learn about the Amistad so you can plan to visit its associated sites while there!

Amistad: How it Began
Learn about the background that lead to the decision in US vs. Amistad

The Legal Battle
How did the legal battle develop and lead to the Supreme Court decision in US vs. Amistad?

Sengbe Pieh (Joseph Cinque)
Learn about the man responsible for taking over the Amistad, which ultimately led to one of the nation's first civil rights trials

John Quincy Adams and the Amistad Event
John Quincy Adams argued the Mende case before the Supreme Court. Learn why the Amistad Committee felt he was the best candidate to do so

Austin F. Williams Carriagehouse
Learn about the role that the carriagehouse served for the Mende Africans

New Haven Green
The Mende Africans exercised on the New Haven Green and it was a place for their supports to congregate. Learn more about it's significance

First Church of Christ
Learn about the church that the Mende Africans attended while in Connecticut
Last updated: October 23, 2017