[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 88 (Monday, June 16, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1262]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            AMISTAD AMERICA

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. STEPHANIE TUBBS JONES

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 16, 2003

  Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Amistad 
America and the Freedom Schooner Amistad as it makes its first voyage 
to Cleveland, Ohio. The schooner, under the leadership of Captain 
William Pinkney, is a wooden re-creation of the 19th century Spanish 
cargo ship, La Amistad. It serves as a maritime ambassador for racial 
reconciliation and human rights education and fosters cooperation and 
unity among people of diverse backgrounds. Since its launch, the 
Amistad has touched the lives of thousands of people.
  The Freedom Schooner Amistad was conceived, built and launched to 
celebrate the legacy of The Amistad Incident of 1839. Fifty-three 
Africans, who were illegally kidnapped from West Africa and sold into 
the transatlantic slave trade, staged a revolt against injustice and 
embarked on a quest for freedom. Their human-rights struggle culminated 
in a case in which former President John Quincy Adams successfully 
argued before the United States Supreme Court on behalf of the 
captives. In 1841, the 35 surviving Africans returned to Africa.
  I was privileged to attend the opening of the Amistad in Connecticut 
in 2000. Due to illness, Rev. Allison Phillips, pastor emeritus of Mt. 
Zion Congregational Church, was not able to attend the event. This 
year, Rev. Phillips has the pleasure of welcoming the schooner to the 
city of Cleveland.
  In 2003, the Amistad makes its first Great Lakes Tour after touring 
ports along the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico. The docking of the 
schooner in Cleveland presents a rare opportunity for the public to 
gain new perspectives on racial justice and freedom. The schooner will 
offer a wonderful historic and educational experience for the residents 
of Cleveland and of North East Ohio. I would especially like to thank 
Key Bank and the United Church of Christ for their diligent work in 
bringing the Freedom Schooner Amistad to Cleveland.

                          ____________________