Conversations at Noon on the CT Freedom Trail: The Amistad Affair

Episode 4: The Amistad Affair

In 1839, Connecticut’sOld State House was the site of the first of the famous Amistad trials. Thetrials grabbed international headlines, but after the US Supreme Court resolvedthe case in 1841, the story faded from collective memory. In 1997, StevenSpielberg reintroduced the dramatic Amistad incident to the world, sparking newinterest among historians, educators, and the public. Since then, new researchhas shed light on the story and corrected some of the omissions and errors inthe public’s knowledge. Tammy Denease, Connecticut Freedom Trail OutreachDirector, has studied the life journey of Margu, one of four children heldcaptive on the Amistad. Tammy will share her research that led to Sarah Margubecoming part of her Hidden Women series. Charles Warner, Jr., Chair of the CTFreedom Trail, will then lead a discussion with Tammy and Adrienne Joy Burns,who has studied the history of enslavement in New Haven with a focus on thePardee-Morris House.