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A history of the Amistad captive being a circumstantial account of the capture of the Spanish schooner Amistad, by the Africans on board ; their voyage, and capture near Long Island, New York

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@ University of Massachusetts, Amherst

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John Warner Barber was born in 1798 in Windsor, Connecticut and lived his entire life in his native state. He was apprenticed as an engraver and became a master at the trade. He used this craft to illustrate many of his historical, religious, and children's writings. While he wrote primarily about Connecticut history and events, his travels throughout the country and abroad occasioned some texts about these experiences. He was married twice and was the father of five children. Barber died in New Haven, Connecticut in 1885. John Warner Barber's A History of the Amistad Captives (1840) is based on an historical event. Approximately fifty-four Africans had been sold into slavery and were being taken to Cuba on board the vessel Amistad. During their journey, they murdered the ship's captain and part of the crew, in an effort to return to Africa. Captured near New York in August 1839, the African men were taken prisoner, and a trial was held in September 1839 in Connecticut. The trial included debates on jurisdiction, whether the prisoners were slaves, and the legitimacy of ownership claimed by the two Spanish traders on board the Amistad. The history also contains details of the mutiny as described by its survivors and images and descriptions of each of the African prisoners. Following the trial proceedings, Barber discusses the ways and customs of Mendi, the prisoners' native country. Barber's sources include newspapers, court testimony, letters, and interviews with an African interpreter. At the time this work was published,...
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University of Massachusetts, Amherst

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Digital Commonwealth

Keywords

  1. Amistad (Schooner)
  2. Slaver
  3. Slavery

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Trial of the prisoners of the Amistad on the writ of habeas corpus, before the Circuit Court of the United States, for the district of Connecticut, at Hartford, Judges Thompson and Judson, September term, 1839 Argument of John Quincy Adams, before the Supreme Court of the United States : in the case of the United States, appellants, vs. Cinque, and others, Africans, captured in the schooner Amistad, by Lieut. Gedney, delivered on the 24th of February and 1st of March, 1841. With a review of the case of the Antelope, reported in the 10th, 11th, and 12th volumes of Wheaton's Reports Amistad claim, history of the case ... : speech of Mr. Giddings of Ohio in the House of Representatives Dec. 21, 1853.. The Amistad case Men not recognised as property by the Constitution. Speech of Hon. De Witt C. Leach, of Michigan. Delivery in the House of representatives, January 27, 1858 Argument of John Quincy Adams, before the Supreme Court of the United States : in the case of the United States, appellants, vs. Cinque, and others, Africans, captured in the schooner Amistad, by Lieut. Gedney, delivered on the 24th of February and 1st of March, 1841. With a review of the case of the Antelope, reported in the 10th, 11th, and 12th volumes of Wheaton's Reports Joseph Cinquez : the brave Congolese chief, who prefers death to slavery, and who now lies in jail in irons at New Haven, Conn. awaiting his trial for daring for freedom A History of the Amistad Captives: Being a Circumstantial Account of the Capture of the Spanish Schooner Amistad, by the Africans on Board; Their Voyage, and Capture Near Long Island, New York; with Biographical Sketches of Each of the Surviving Africans; Also, an Account of the Trials had on Their case, Before the District and Circuit Courts of the United States, for the District of Connecticut Argument of John Quincy Adams, before the Supreme Court of the United States : in the case of the United States, appellants, vs. Cinque, and others, Africans, captured in the schooner Amistad, by Lieut. Gedney, delivered on the 24th of February and 1st of March, 1841. With a review of the case of the Antelope, reported in the 10th, 11th, and 12th volumes of Wheaton's Reports Letter from John T. Norton to "My dear Friend" Letter from Amos Townsend Jr. to Lewis Tappan Receipt to Dr. John P. Turney from the Committee on behalf of the Amistad Africans Letter from William Anderson to Lewis Tappan Letter from J. Kennedy and Campbell J. Dalrymple to Seth Staples and Theodore Sedgwick Letter from Amos Townsend Jr. to Lewis Tappan Letter from B. Griswold to Lewis Tappan Letter from H. Duffield to Lewis Tappan Letter from Sarah T. Osgood to Amos A. Phelps Letter from Alfred Rockwell to Lewis Tappan and Joshua Leavitt List of expenses for James Covey and Charles Pratt Letter from Amos Townsend Jr. to Lewis Tappan
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