IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 522 

Recognizing the historical and educational significance of the Freedom Schooner Amistad’s 14-month 2007 Atlantic Freedom Tour, and expressing 

the sense of the House of Representatives that preserving the legacy 

of the Amistad story is important in promoting multi-cultural dialogue, 

education, and cooperation. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 27, 2007 

Ms. DELAURO (for herself, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, Mr. SHAYS, Mr. 

MURPHY of Connecticut, and Mr. COURTNEY) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the historical and educational significance of 

the Freedom Schooner Amistad’s 14-month 2007 Atlantic Freedom Tour, and expressing the sense of the House 

of Representatives that preserving the legacy of the 

Amistad story is important in promoting multi-cultural 

dialogue, education, and cooperation. 

Whereas the 1807 Act of the British Parliament was the first 

major initiative that abolished the slave trade and began 

the march to end slavery; 

Whereas, in 1839, 53 Africans were illegally kidnapped from 

Sierra Leone and sold into the transatlantic slave trade; 


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•HRES 522 IH 

Whereas the captives were brought to Havana, Cuba aboard 

the Portuguese vessel Tecora, where they were fraudulently classified as native-born Cuban slaves; 

Whereas the African captives were sold to Spaniards Jose 

Ruiz and Pedro Montez, who transferred them to the 

coastal cargo schooner, La Amistad; 

Whereas the African captives, while being transferred from 

Havana, Cuba up the coast in the Amistad, revolted after 

3 days and ordered the schooner head east back to their 

native Africa; 

Whereas, on the evening of the rebellion, the Amistad was secretly directed back west and up the coast of North 

America, where after 2 months the Africans were seized 

and arrested in New London, Connecticut; 

Whereas the captives were jailed and awaited trial in New 

Haven, Connecticut, and the case became historic when 

former President John Quincy Adams argued on behalf 

of the enslaved Africans before the United States Supreme Court and won their freedom; 

Whereas, in 2007, the Freedom Schooner Amistad will embark on its first transatlantic voyage to celebrate the 

200th anniversary of the abolition of the transatlantic 

slave trade; and 

Whereas the Amistad case represents an opportunity to call 

to public attention the evils of slavery, the struggle for 

freedom, and the restoration of human dignity: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That— 

2 (1) the House of Representatives— 


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•HRES 522 IH 

1 (A) recognizes the historical and edu2 cational significance of the Freedom Schooner 

3 Amistad’s Atlantic Freedom Tour; and 

4 (B) encourages the people of the United 

5 States to learn about United States history and 

6 better understand the experiences that have 

7 shaped the United States; and 

8 (2) it is the sense of the House of Representa9 tives that preserving the legacy of the Amistad 

10 should be regarded as a means in fostering multi11 cultural dialogue, education, and cooperation. 

Æ 


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