La Amistad

I watched a BYU approved edited version of the Warner Brothers and HBO film The Amistad. Some of the violence and other parts that made it an R rated movie were cut out. Nevertheless, the point of the film was driven across well. I encourage readers of this post to either watch the movie, which presents this supreme court case, or do some research on the Supreme Court case of United States of America vs. the Amistad Africans.

Basically, the Spanish ship La Amistad was bringing slaves from West Africa to Cuba when the slaves revolted and took over the ship. They allowed some of the crew to live in order to sail the ship back to Africa, but instead they ended up off the coast of New England. The Africans were taken into custody until it could be decided who owned them: Spain, the sailors of the ship La Amistad, or the commonwealth of Connecticut. Multiple court cases were held to determine who owned these Africans. Eventually, the case went to the Supreme Court where James Quincy Adams, former President of the United States, argued for the Africans and their plea for freedom, even in the case of an imminent civil war.

This “simple property” case could not be handled by lower courts of America because a much larger question than who owned the Africans was at stake. The question was, rather, about the nature of man. Do all men have the right to be free? To pursue life, liberty and happiness? In the case of our American ancestors, they proclaimed such in the Declaration of Independence but did not enact such a principle because they were frightened of ripping apart a country which had just been brought together.

As (in the movie) Adams said in reference to a civil war to extend that right to all people, “…and then at last perhaps the last battle of the American Revolution will be fought.” Adams was right. The case of U.S.A vs. the Amistad Africans opened the door for the first political discussion on the rights and freedom of all men, not just White land-owning males. It led to civil war, but the great injustices and wrongs of centuries were righted when at last slavery based on race was ended, and all men were declared equal and free.