AMISTAD POWERPOINT & SHIRLEY JACKSON

By: Nicole Sintra

THE AMISTAD VOYAGE- BEGINNING

It all began in Africa where men where randomly “stolen” from the streets and captured.

Slave trade was illegal but it was still being done at the Gallinas River. That is where slaves were being traded to the Europeans, primarily the Spaniards.

The only country that did anything to help stop slavery was Great Britain.

Very discretely, Africans were put on a ship called Tecora which sailed under a Portuguese flag. The ship made it’s way to Cuba which would take 2 months.

On the ship, the slaves were held in baracoons, very small spaces. The spaces were tight and the slaves were barely being fed;

this led to diseases which killed some slaves onboard.

THE AMISTAD VOYAGE- MIDDLE

Once the slaves reached Cuba, they were sent into a jungle to live yet again in tight places. Here they had to prepare for the illegal slave market.

After 10 days, a young sugar planter, Juan Ruiz, bough 49 African males for $450 each.

A companion, Pedro Montes purchased 3 young African girls and 1 young African boy.

Their destination was Puerto Principe so they made the slaves fake passports and called them “ladinos” ,which means Cuban-born, and gave them Spanish names.

All together, 53 slaves and the crew men set out towards Puerto Principe.

THE AMISTAD VOYAGE- THE REVOLT The Amistad schooner was as big as a tractor-trailer

truck and there was about 60 people aboard. On the ship the slaves where kept in hold and rarely

aloud on the deck to catch some fresh air. Every day they ate 1 banana, 2 potatoes, and drank a small cup of water. If anyone tried to take more water they would be brought to the deck, whipped by the crew, and then gunpowder and vinegar would be rubbed on their wounds.

Cinque, a slave on board, was trying to find out what was going to happen to him and the rest of the slaves so he used sign language to ask the cook on the ship, Celestino. Celestino in response pointed to a barrel of beef and Cinque got the horrifying news that the Spaniards were going to slaughter and eat them.

CONTINUED…. That day, Cinque found a nail on deck and brought it back to

the baracoons. There he was able to use it to pick the lock of his iron collar and he helped free all of his fellow slaves. No one picked up on the activity on the deck and at 4 a.m., Cinque and the rest of the slaves revolted killing all the crew member besides Ruiz and Montes; they held them captive and asked them to sail the ship back to Africa.

Even though the Africans had taken control over the ship, the situation was still complicated for them because they did not know how to sail. Also the food on deck was running very low. The wind and currents were high which also made sailing more complicated.

Strategically, Ruiz and Montes made sure the ship sailed near Bahama waters to see if they could get any help.

They did not and before they knew it, the ship had sailed right into Culloden Point, Long Island, NY.

THE AMISTAD VOYAGE- IN AMERICA

Once the Africans got off the ship, they ran into a small group of white men. They spoke to one, Henry Green, and promised him gold if he sailed them back to Africa.

Both groups were going to meet the next day to pursue this voyage but the Africans dreams came to an abrupt end because the U.S.S. Washington saw them and under the command of Lieutenant Thomas Gedney, the Africans were captured and sent to New London across from Long Island.

Their fate now depended on the American authorities.

THE AMISTAD VOYAGE- JOURNEY IN AMERICA

Once these slaves were taken into custody, word spread around the United States. Pictures were drawn Plays were written and performed Wax figures were made Articles were published

A team of New York abolitionists led by Lewis Tappan formed the Amistad Committee and they were dedicated to helping the African’s have a fair trial.

This group began to teach them how to read and speak English to show the public that these people can be civilized without being enslaved. Public events were held to show the public their progress

and accomplishments; thousands of people attended.

THE AMISTAD VOYAGE- THE TRIALS Ruiz and Montes sued to claim their “property” including the

goods on the ship and their slaves. Roger S. Baldwin because the attorney to defend the Africans

claiming that they had been illegally kidnapped considering Spain had outlawed the African Slave Trade.

Court proceedings started in September 1839. The trail was put on hold and then resumed in January 1840.

The Africans testified in front of a packed courthouse and Judge Judson ruled that they had indeed been illegally enslaved. The U.S.S. Grampus awaited the Africans to return them back to their home.

However, quickly the White House and Spanish authorities quickly overthrew Judge Judson’s decision. The case kept getting appealed until reaching the U.S. Supreme Court. The Supreme Court took about a month but they finally agreed

with Judge Judson and gave the Africans their freedom but revoked their ticket home to Africa.

THE AMISTAD VOYAGE- THE RETURN TO AFRICA

The Amistad Committee raised money to help the Africans get enough money for their voyage home.

No one really knew where they were actually from but on October 1841, Lt. Governor Fergusson from Sierra Leon responded with an offer to receive the Africans.

The Amistad Committee was able to charter the barque Gentleman with $1,840 and in November she was ready to sail.

The Gentleman carried more than just the African freenman, it carried a possible transformation for African society, a hope for abolition of U.S. slavery, and for the end of African Slave Trade.

Finally, in mid January 1842, the 35 African freeman arrived to feel bittersweet. It was good to be home but the interior of Africa had been destroyed by slave wars and many of the returning freeman had lost many family member.

THE AMISTAD VOYAGE- REVIEW

The Amistad Voyage took place in 1839 off the coast of Cuba.

There were 53 Africans on board who fought for their freedom. 49 African males 3 Young African girls 1 Young African boy

One important man on the ship, know as “Cinque”, worked free of his chains and led a revolt on the ship. Other members on the ship where Grabeau and Pugnwawni

They landed in the U.S. in Long Island. The name of the boat that sailed them back to Africa was

called the Gentleman

CONTINUED… OUTCOME OF TRIALS August 1839: Amistad captured by crew of U.S.S. Washington off of Long Island, New

York; Africans held and taken with Amistad to New London, Connecticut; Judicial hearing, presided over by Judge Judson, on the U.S. S. Washington; Africans await trial in a New Haven, Connecticut jail.

September 1839: Lewis Tappan forms Friend of Amistad Africans Committee; Judge Thompson presides in Circuit Court hearing on Amistad criminal case; case dismissed by Judge Thompson for jurisdictional reasons; civil case left for District Court resolution.

October 1839: Professor Josiah Gibbs locates interperter, James Covey, and the Africans are able to tell their story; teaching Africans the English language and Christianity began; Cinque and others file charges of assualt and false imprisonment against Ruiz and Montes.

November 1839: District Court meets and postpones case. December 1839: Slave factory at Lomboko, Sierra Leone raided by British and all slaves

there liberated. January 8, 1840: The Amistad civil trial begins in New Haven. January 15, 1840: Judge Hudson presiding in District Court rules the Africans are to be

turned over to the President for return to Africa. August 1840: Africans taken to Westville. September 1840: Judge Thompson of the Circuit Court upholds District Court decision;

government appeals to U.S. Supreme Court. October 1840: John Quincy Adams convinces to join Roger Baldwin in arguing the case

for the Africans before the Supreme Court. Feb. - March 1841: Baldwin and Adams argue case before Supreme Court; Court orders

Africans to be freed immediately. Mar. - Nov. 1841: Freed Africans go to Farmington for further English and religious

education; local committee plans mission establishment in Africa. November 1841: African survivors leave with missionaries for Africa aboard Gentleman.

WHO ADVOCATED FOR THE AMISTAD CURRICULUM IN NEW JERSEY?

William D. Payne and Craig A. Stanley Goals of Curriculum: Objectives of the Curriculum Other states that have adopted the

Amistad Curriculum besides New Jersey are: Maryland & Michigan Pennsylvania & Kansas Washington & Georgia

DR. SHIRLEY JACKSON

Born August 5, 1946 in Washington D.C. to parents Beatrice and George Jackson

Her parents always strongly valued education. Her father always helped her with her science projects for her classes.

Jackson attended Roosevelt High School and took accelerated classes in math and science. She graduated in 1964 as valedictorian.

EDUCATION

Jackson attended MIT for college in the year 1964. There were fewer than 20 African Americans at that school and she was one of the only ones studying theoretical physics.

At MIT Shirely went on to get her Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorates degree. She was the first African American woman

to graduate from MIT with a Doctorate degree.

CAREER Shirley worked both in the United States and Europe. Her first position was a research associate at the Fermi

National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, Illinois. In 1974 she became the visiting scientist at the

European Organization for Nuclear Research in Switzerland.

In 1976-1977 she lectured in physics at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center and became the visiting scientist at the Aspen Center of Physics.

Jackson joined the Theoretical Physics Research Department at AT&T Bell Laboratories in 1976.

In 1978 Dr. Jackson became part of the Scattering and Low Energy Physics Research Department and in 1988 moved to the Solid State and Quantum Physics Research Department.

CAREER CONTINUED… In her research, Dr. Jackson has made contributions to the

knowledge of charged density waves in layered compounds, polaronic aspects of electrons in the surface of liquid helium films, and optical and electronic properties of semiconductor strained-layer superlatties. On all of these topics, she worked with over 100 different scientists.

Jackson was faculty at Rutgers University from 1991-1995. In 1995, President Bill Clinton appointed Jackson to serve as

Chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Becoming the first woman, and first African American woman to

hold that position. On July 1, 1999, Jackson became the 18th president of

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Once again, she was the first woman and the first African American

woman to hold this position. She has been one of the highest paid university presidents in the

nation making roughly $1.3 million.

HONORS Jackson received the Martin Marietta Aircraft Company Scholarship

and Fellowship The Prince Hall Masons Scholarship The National Science Foundation Traineeship The Ford Foundation Advanced Study Fellowship

She also has been elected to numerous special societies such as the American Physical Society and the American Philosophical Society.

Some awards: CIBA-GEIGY Exceptional Black Scientist Award the Thomas Alva Edison Science Award for her contributions to physics and

for the promotion of science She was inducted into National Women's Hall of Fame in 1998 for "her

significant contributions as a distinguished scientist and advocate for education, science, and public policy".

More recently she was named one of the 50 Most Important Women in Science by Discover Magazine.

In spring 2007 she was awarded the Vannevar Bush Award for "a lifetime of achievements in scientific research, education and senior statesman-like contributions to public policy”

In 2008 she became the University Vice Chairman of the U.S Council of Competitiveness

In 2009, President Obama appointed Dr. Jackson to serve on the Presidents Council for Advisors on Science and technology

PERSONAL

Dr. Shirley is married to Dr. Morris A. Washington, a physics professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

They have 1 son, Alan, a Dartmouth College Alum.

REFERENCES:

Anonymous. (n.d.). Mystic seaport: The museum of america and the sea. Retrieved from http://academic.sun.ac.za/forlang/bergman/real/amistad/history/msp/main_wel.htm

Famous black inventors. (2008). Retrieved from http://www.black-inventor.com/Dr-Shirley-Jackson.asp

Linder, D. (1998, February 9th). Famous American trials: Amistad trials, 1839-1840. Retrieved from http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/amistad/AMISTD.HTM

http://www.njamistadcurriculum.com/