Amistad Visits Oyster Bay

The Freedom Schooner Amistad America will be visiting Oyster Bay this weekend, July 11 and 12. She is a 130 foot schooner and an exact replica of the original LaAmistad. The movie Amistad was loosely based on this boat’s story. The mission of Amistad America is to teach the important lessons of history inherent in the Amistad incident of 1839. Amistad serves as an enduring symbol of unity and the human struggle for freedom. In shedding light on the facts of our collective history and the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade, Amistad America provides a peaceful means by which individuals and communities can learn together and address the issues of racism and intolerance with a positive goal of building bridges of mutual respect and understanding. Visitors who come aboard continue to learn the incredible story of the Amistad Incident of 1839 and now also become aware of how slavery still exists today. They are given tools to become modern day abolitionist. The timing couldn’t be more relevant in this challenging time with COVID highlighting social injustice. Residents of the town of Oyster Bay, from Bayville to Jones Beach are invited to come outside, be safe and learn of the history of a ship that likely visited our harbor in 1839. A court case involving this ship and her crew was the beginning of the abolition of slavery in America but 181 years later, the lingering effects are still being felt.