Governor M. Jodi Rell announced recently that $250,000 to make repairs to Freedom Schooner Amistad gained approval when the state Bond Commission met May 30.

“Amistad is the largest vessel ever constructed at Mystic Seaport,” Governor Rell said in a recent release. “The ship reminds us of the hardships endured and the sacrifices made by her ancestors, many of whom were captured and sold into slavery in the mid-1800s. The presence of Amistad in Connecticut is a reminder of one victorious moment for slaves in this country. This is the state where these captives fought for their freedom—and won.”

The Amistad, launched on March 25, 2000, is a replica of the original ship that was commandeered by its African captives in 1839.

“Amistad is 10 feet longer than the original La Amistad of 1839,” Rell noted in a statement. “The extra length was built into the ship to accommodate an engine room. The new Amistad is a reproduction of a Spanish-owned cargo schooner that became the battleground of the first successful slave revolt in the New World. That incident led to an 1841 Supreme Court decision that not only set those slaves free but also set the stage for the abolition of slavery in the U.S. 22 years later.”

“These funds will help the Mystic Seaport Museum to continue to create a broad, public understanding of the relationship of America and the sea,” state Sen. Andrew Maynard said in a press release. “Mystic Seaport’s shipyard staff coordinated the Amistad’s construction with area volunteers and with students from vocational schools in Connecticut. The state’s help in making these necessary repairs is most welcome.”

Spokesperson of the Mystic Seaport Michael O’Farrell said visitors still, to some level, equate Mystic Seaport and Amistad because the vessel was originally built there.

“We get questions quite a bit,” he admitted.

He said the additional repairs on the Amistad will benefit the Seaport because they apply anytime the vessel is at Mystic Seaport. “We built it, we’re connected to it, but more importantly, it has an amazing story to tell,” he added. “It adds to the overall offering of Mystic Seaport.”

The repairs will take place in a specialized dock in Mystic Seaport’s Preservation Shipyard that is used to overhaul and retrofit historic wooden sailing ships.

The original article was published in Mystic Times on June 12, 2008
 

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