La Amistad

This episode of the podcast takes an in-depth look at the history of the Amistad rebellion. In 1839, 53 Africans were abducted into slavery from their homes in Sierra Leone. They were taken on the Amistad, where they were able to commandeer the ship from their captors. Attempting to sail to freedom, they eventually reached Long Island and were subsequently jailed in Connecticut. Following various legal battles, the U.S. Supreme Court eventually ruled in their favor in what was one of the most important court cases related to slavery before the Civil War.