The Welsh and American Slavery
Places to visit - Connecticut
The Amistad and Connecticut
After leaving Cuba and being seized by the 54 slaves on board, La Amistad sailed on a winding voyage North. During the day, the Africans could ensure by the sun that the ship was going back home towards the east; but during the night, unbeknown to them, the white crew turned the ship back towards the west.
New London
Sengbeh Pieh,or Joseph Cinquez,
leader of the Africans
In the end, an American warship forced the ship to harbour at New London, Connecticut. The museum in the Custom House has a permanent exhibition about the Amistad, and a weekend of events is held every August.
Custom House Maritime Museum
150 Bank St
New London, CT
nlmaritimesociety.org
New Haven
But the Africans were imprisoned at New Haven during the cases against them. The New Haven Colonial History Society has a good exhibition which includes original photographs of the Amistad and an oil painting of Sengbeh, the leader of the Africans.
New Haven Colony Historical Society Museum
114 Whitney Avenue
New Haven, CT
About a quarter of a mile away on the former site of New Haven gaol, there is a striking triangular memorial made by Ed Hamilton in 1992 and it represents the mutiny, slavery and freedom of the Africans.
Cofeb Amistad
165 Church Street
New Haven, CT
Mystic Seaport
This is the location of the American Maritime Museum which portrays the life of maritime communities in the19th century and its harbour has been used for some of the scenes in the Steven Spielberg film "Amistad".
60 buildings have been moved to the site and about 15 ships; amongst them, at certain times of the year, is a full-size replica of the Amistad.
America Gaeth a'r Cymry © S4C 2006