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The Amistad Rebellion: Slaves Who Won Their Freedom in Court
In 1839, a group of fifty-three enslaved Africans aboard the Spanish schooner La Amistad seized control of the ship, sparking a dramatic legal battle that reached the United States Supreme Court. Led by Sengbe Pieh—known as Joseph Cinqué—the Mende captives had been illegally transported from Sierra Leone to Cuba. After killing the captain and cook, they attempted to sail back to Africa but ended up off Long Island, where they were captured and charged with piracy and murder. This episode traces the Amistad rebellion from the harrowing middle passage journey to the courtroom, where former…
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