I'm sure that many, if not most of us, have seen the movie Amistad at some point or another. It was a great film, and worth a watch if you haven't yet. Any time you see someone up in the rigging of the ship in that film, you are in actuality seeing folk from the Mystic Seaport Museum, in Mystic, CT... practically in my parents' backyard! But what the film did not manage to do well, was highlight the role of Congregational Christians (many of whom later became members of the UCC) in the whole incident. In fact, Stratford Congregational minister, Joshua Leavitt was appointed to the American Anti-Slavery Society executive committee in 1833, became editor of The Emanicpator in 1837, visited the Amistad prisoners several times in 1839-41, and helped orgnize the Amboitionist or Liberty Party.
If you're anywhere near New Haven, CT on June 21st—even if you aren't a member of the UCC and are just into your American history—you might want to come see off the Freedom Schooner Amistad on its first trans-Atlantic journey, including a stop in Sierra Leone, West Africa—the country of origen of the Amistad captives. According to the Connecticut Conference of the UCC, the Freedom Schooner Amistad
...will set sail to Shelburne and Halifax, Nova Scotia. After a voyage across the North Atlantic the Amistad will participate in the commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in England. Then it is on to Lisbon, Portugal, Freetown, Sierra Leone, Dakar, Senegal, San Juan, Puerto Rico and a return to New Haven with stops in Charleston, SC, Washington, DC and New York City.
For more information, contact Rev. Kent Siladi, kents@ctucc.org or (203) 453-0614!
Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
020907
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