1839 La Amistad, Fighters of Freedom

Freedom is not given
It is our right at birth
But there are some moments in time when it must be taken

Althroughout the slave trade in Africa Africans were fighting for their freedom, some struggles have been more noticed then others. One of those, and perhaps the one that put most weight to the civil war which was to come in the United States of America, was the one taking place in 1839 on board the slave ship La Amistad. [Funny, I must say, that they choose to name a ship, which is destined for so much cruelty, to La Amistad ("Friendship" in Spanish).] No more than 168 years ago Africans were still being taken from West Africa to be sold as slaves, which by then was illegal in British law. Among these slaves was a man called Joseph Cinqué. You might argue that his story make him no more a hero than any of the other Africans fighting for their freedom. But his and his companions struggle against the American law system went beyond their own freedom, their case caught the attention of the entire nation and was to become a milestone in the fight to crush slavery worldwide. 

Read more about La Amistad here

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1997 a movie based on the true story of La Amistad was released, made by Steven Spielberg, starring the brilliant actor Djimon Hounsou (most known for his role as Solomon Vandy in Blood Diamond). The movie begins with Joseph Cinqué picking a nail from the ship’s structure and uses it to pick the lock on his shackles. Freeing some of his companions he starts a rebellion which ends with them taking over La Amistad. But the ship is later intercepted by an American military vessel and the Africans are yet again captured, this time taken to America arrested for murder of the crew of La Amistad. Awaiting trial in a grim dungeon Joseph comes in contact with several people whom would be of most importance for the destiny of their future. Among these were the ex-president John Quincy Adams (Anthony Hopkins), the elderly ex-slave Theodore Joadsen (Morgan Freeman) and a young attorney specialising in property law; Baldwin (Matthew McConaughey). With the help of an interpreter Joseph tells his story to Baldwin.

He was a peasant farmer and young husband and father in West Africa, when he was kidnapped by African slave-hunters and taken to the slave fortress of Lomboko, an illegal facility in the British Protectorate of Sierra Leone. There, he and hundreds of other captured Africans were loaded onto the transatlantic slave-ship Tecora. Joseph tells of the various horrors of the Middle Passage, including frequent rape, horrific torture, and random executions carried out by the crew, including the deaths of fifty people deliberately drowned in order to save food. Upon their arrival in Cuba, Joseph was sold at a slave market and purchased, along with many other Tecora survivors, by the owners of La Amistad. Once aboard La Amistad, Joseph was able to free himself of his shackles, and began the slaves’ rebellion for freedom.

Read more about the movie here

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The battle for freedom is taken one step higher as their case is taken to the Supreme Court of the USA. In the last 20 minutes of the movie the former president John Quincy Adams pleads to the Supreme Court with a historical speech.

[...Cinque, would you stand up, if you would, so everyone can see you. This man is black. We can all see that. But can we also see as easily that which is equally true -- that he is the only true hero in this room.

Now, if he were white, he wouldn't be standing before this court fighting for his life. If he were white and his enslavers were British, he wouldn't be able to stand, so heavy the weight of the medals and honors we would bestow upon him. Songs would be written about him. The great authors of our times would fill books about him. His story would be told and retold in our classrooms. Our children, because we would make sure of it, would know his name as well as they know Patrick Henry's.

  Yet, if the South is right, what are we to do with that embarrassing, annoying document, "The Declaration of Independence?" What of its conceits? "All men...created equal," "inalienable rights," "life," "liberty," and so on and so forth? What on earth are we to do with this?

  I have a modest suggestion. [tears up a facsimile of the Declaration]…..]

(Full speach can be found here audio available)

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 Fighters for freedom has existed at all times and should so be remembered for eternity. In this case both the Africans and the Americans. Even when the norms in society said Africans should not be considered equal to westerners there were some who stood up alongside the Africans and together they won not only their case but a struggle across the world. These people should be remembered in our history as fighters for the human rights.

– Kajsa, Admin Twende Twende
admin.twende.twende@gmail.com