11/28/2025
On this day in 1841, thirty-five survivors of the Amistad mutiny departed New York City to return home to Africa. These men, members of the Mende Tribe, had been violently captured and forced aboard the Spanish slave ship La Amistad.
Refusing to accept enslavement, they staged a courageous revolt and attempted to steer the vessel back toward Africa. Instead, the ship drifted to Long Island, New York, where they were taken into custody.
Their struggle ignited a groundbreaking legal battle in the United States, ultimately reaching the Supreme Court. In a historic decision, the Court ruled that the Africans had been illegally enslaved and were justified in fighting for their freedom.
After years of trauma, imprisonment, and uncertainty, the survivors finally began their long-awaited journey home, returning to Sierra Leone in January 1842.
via
📷 Courtesy of x Craig Hill x Suzanne Freedman x Howard Jones. No copyright infringement intended. DM for credit/removal
