Black Mutiny: Revolt on the Schooner Amistad - Softcover

Owens, William

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0452279356 ISBN 13: 9780452279353

Publisher: Plume, 1997

Synopsis

Relates the story of the 1839 revolt of Mendi slaves aboard the schooner "Amistad" to restore their freedom, telling how President John Qunicy Adams sided with the slaves to win their freedom and passage home

About this title

From the Back Cover:

Originally published in 1953, Black Mutiny remains one of the most detailed accounts of the Amistad revolt. In 1839, under the leadership of Cinque, the enslaved Mendi aboard the schooner Amistad killed the ship's captain and took control of the vessel in a valiant attempt to regain their freedom. Cinque's attempts to guide the ship back to Africa were thwarted by surviving members of the Amistad's crew. The schooner was seized off the coast of New York by the U.S. Navy, and Cinque and his comrades quickly became the source of a national debate over slavery and its abolition. For two years, the debate raged in local courts, eventually moving to the Supreme Court, where President Van Buren and former President John Quincy Adams found themselves on opposites sides of the controversy. As the arguments were heard, the country watched and waited to see what the Africans' fate would be. Essentially, both Bell and Dyson observe that the difficult questions raised by the Amistad story are far from being resolved as the nation continues its struggle to truly become a land with justice and liberty for all. The republication of this important work provides a wonderful opportunity for dialogue in communities around the world where the spirit of Cinque lives on in men and women actively pursuing liberation.

About the Author:

William A. Owens received his B.A. and M.A. from Southern Methodist University and his Ph.D. from the University of Iowa. Before coming to Columbia University in 1947, where he was Professor Emeritus and Dean Emeritus, he taught at a number of schools and colleges, including the Lamar County, Texas, public schools. Mr. Owens was born in Pin Hook, Texas, and the author of several books, novels, and nonfiction.

About this edition

• Publisher: Plume
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0452279356
• ISBN 13: 9780452279353
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 322