| PRESS RELEASE - Prescott and the Amistad arrive in Liverpool on historic tour |
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| Written by AAI | |
| Sunday, 19 August 2007 | |
For Immediate Release
Prescott and the Amistad arrive in Liverpool on historic tour to mark 200th anniversary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act
The Freedom Schooner Amistad sailed into Liverpool on Sunday to continue its historic UK marking the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade, with former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott at the helm.
John Prescott and Sankofa College Students (photo courtesy of Albert Novelli)
After a 48-day transatlantic voyage, including a stop in Halifax, the Amistad, a reconstruction of the original ship that was commandeered by African captives in 1839, moored at Falmouth before setting off to Liverpool. The Amistad will stay in Liverpool for the opening of the International Slavery Museum and set sail for Bristol on Sunday August 26 and then onto London before resuming its Atlantic Basin tour, stopping at Portugal, Senegal, Sierra Leone, the Caribbean and the US. During its stay in each port, the Amistad will be open for visits and lectures from the crew. During its transatlantic journey from the US, the crew have coped with high seas, seen dolphins and exchanged greetings with the Queen Mary 2. The arrival of the Amistad in the Liverpool marks a significant point in the 16-month 14,000 mile 'Amistad Atlantic Freedom Tour' sponsored by Delta Air Lines and Caterpillar Marine Power Systems to retrace the infamous slave trade triangle, which includes a 'homecoming' trip to Sierra Leone.
She added: "How I missed those thick, melt-in-your-mouth chips covered in salt and a bit of tomato sauce. I had planned to go on a detox when I got off the boat but I think I'm going to have to alter my plans a bit. Indulge, then detox! In addition to providing tours of the ship, Amistad will be offering the first part of its UK Lecture Series on Thursday, August 23 at the University of Liverpool by Professor Alfred Zack-Williams (Professor of Sociology University of Central Lancashire and President, African Studies Association of the United Kingdom) on The Spirit of Amistad and the African Renaissance followed by a dessert reception. Reservations for this event can be made by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it "We are honored that Professor Zack-Williams is offering this important lecture which enriches the week's activities surrounding the opening of the International Slavery Museum", observed Amistad Chairman Bill Minter. "His scholarly work in this area, and his message marrying Amistad with the position of collaboration in Africa will contribute greatly to the value of this week." The Amistad will return to the United States via the Caribbean and Bermuda in spring of 2008 and travel to multiple ports coming up the East Coast as the US commemorates its bicentenary of legislation to ban the importation of slaves. AMISTAD America, Inc. is not-for-profit US based charity that promotes improved relations between races and cultures through educational programs and Amistad schooner port visits. The Amistad's tour of the UK is being supported by the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport as part of the commemoration of the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade in the former British Empire. For further information, photography or to arrange interviews, please contact: Katharine Preece This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it on 0207 299 8778 or mobile 07974 089006. Outside the UK: Carleen Lyden-Kluss - This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it - 001 203 260 0480 For further information please visit http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/slavery/index.htm To find out more about the Amistad Atlantic Freedom Tour, visit www.amistadamerica.org Notes to Editor: 1. Amistad America, Inc. is a national, non-profit educational organisation that promotes improved relationships between races and cultures and strives to educate the public on a unique and relevant event in U.S. history through their educational programme 2. Amistad America, Inc., was created as a consortium between Mystic Seaport, the Connecticut Afro-American Historical Society, the Amistad Committee of New Haven, Amistad Affiliates of New York and other interested individuals working in partnership to promote the Amistad project. 3. In 1839, 53 Africans were kidnapped from West Africa and sold into the transatlantic slave trade. Shackled aboard the Portuguese slave vessel Tecora, the 49 men and four children (three girls and a boy) were brought to Havana, Cuba, where they were fraudulently classified as native, Cuban-born slaves. Purchased illegally by Spanish planters Jose Ruiz and Pedro Montez, they were transferred to the schooner Amistad for transport to another part of the island. Three days into the journey, led by a 25-year-old Mende rice farmer named Sengbe Pieh, or "Cinque" to his Spanish captors, the Africans seized the ship, killed the captain and the cook, and ordered the planters to sail to Africa. After 63 days, La Amistad and her "cargo" were seized as salvage by the USS Washington near Montauk Point, Long Island, and towed to New London harbour. The Africans were held in a New Haven jail on charges of murder. The case took on historic proportions when former President John Quincy Adams successfully argued before the United States Supreme Court on behalf of the captives. In 1841, the 35 surviving Africans were returned to Africa 4. Saphra Ross from Montpelier, Bristol is 20 years old and is currently studying a degree in Law at the city's University of the West of England. Saphra is also a Mentor and Windsor Junior Fellowship Ambassador. Her duties involve assisting teaching, tutoring and mentoring pupils year 6 to year 11, being an inspiration to young black people and helping them to reach their dreams. Nadia Waithe from Montpelier, Bristol is 22 years old and is currently doing a BA Hons in Popular music at the University Of Glamorgan. She has a keen interest in the slave trade having been on an Archaeology dig, with 14 other students to work and study the slave traders on a sugar plantation in Nevis in St Kitts in the Caribbean. Michael Simon from Toxteth in Liverpool is 19 years old and works part time as well as studying at Liverpool Community College. Michael's studying Art, English, IT at college and plans to undertake a degree in September 2007 at the University of Liverpool. He works as a carer for Fusion, which entails him working with young children with severe autism and accompanying young people with severe disabilities on day excursions and holidays. He has also worked with young people from the Somali Community of Liverpool in assisting them with language needs. 5. Key dates of the tour Aug 8-11 Falmouth, UK (Falmouth Docks) Aug 19 - 26 Liverpool, UK (Albert Dock) Aug 23 UNESCO Slavery Remembrance Day Aug 29 - Sept 9 Bristol, UK Sept 13 or 14 Arrival in London (South Quay, Canary Wharf) Sept onward Lisbon, Portugal; Madeira Islands; Tenerife, Spain; Dakar,Senegal; Freetown, Sierra Leone; Barbados; Puerto Rico; Bermuda; Charleston SC; Hampton Roads,VA, Washington, DC; Baltimore, New York, and other east coast cities 6. The international voyage will retrace the infamous slave industry triangle with stops at more than a dozen Atlantic ports that played a significant role in the trade and reflect today's social, political and cultural character. Ports of call include Halifax, Nova Scotia; Falmouth, Liverpool, Bristol, London; Lisbon and Madeira, Portugal; Tenerife, Spain; Dakar, Senegal; Freetown, Sierra Leone; Praia, Cape Verde; Barbados; Puerto Rico, Bermuda and the east coast of the United States. 7. The International Slavery Museum, part of National Museums Liverpool, will open on 23 August, Slavery Remembrance Day 2007, a day that commemorates an uprising of enslaved Africans on the island of St Domingo (modern Haiti and the Dominican Republic) in 1791. Designated by UNESCO, the date was chosen as a reminder that enslaved Africans were the main agents of their own liberation. Liverpool, central to the transatlantic slave trade in the 18th century, is a fitting location in which to commemorate the anniversary of this important landmark. 8. Delta Air Lines is an official sponsor of the Amistad Atlantic Freedom Tour Delta Airlines offers customers service to more destinations than any global airline with Delta and Delta Connection carrier service to 332 destinations in 57 countries. With more than 60 new international routes introduced in the last year, Delta has added more international capacity than all other U.S. airlines combined and is the leader across the Atlantic with flights to 36 trans-Atlantic destinations. To Latin America and the Caribbean, Delta offers nearly 700 weekly flights to 63 destinations. Delta's marketing alliances also allow customers to earn and redeem SkyMiles on nearly 15,000 flights offered by SkyTeam and other partners. Delta is a founding member of SkyTeam, a global airline alliance that provides customers with extensive worldwide destinations, flights and services. Including its SkyTeam and worldwide code share partners, Delta offers flights to 479 worldwide destinations in 105 countries. Customers can check in for flights, print boarding passes and check flight status at www.delta.com 9. Caterpillar Marine Power Systems is an official sponsor of the Amistad Atlantic Freedom Tour. For more than 80 years, Caterpillar Inc. has been making progress possible and driving positive and sustainable change on every continent. With 2006 sales and revenues of $41.517 billion, Caterpillar is a technology leader and the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, clean diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines. For more information, More information is available at www.cat.com. Embargoed 17:00 Sunday 19 August Comments
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