This bronze sculpture recognizes the events of the 1839 Amistad Affair, a kidnapping of 53 Africans and their subsequent mutiny aboard the ship La Amistad. It led to a historically significant United States Supreme Court case, in which the Amistad captives, defended by John Quincy Adams, were ruled to be acting in self-defense, thereby granting them the right to mutiny. Situated in front of the New Haven City Hall, it was dedicated on September 18, 1992
After the Amistad Africans won their freedom, many members of the community volunteered their aid: housing, tutoring, and legal assistance. To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Amistad affair., citizens of New Haven resurrected the aid committee.
The memorial, created by artist Ed Hamilton, stands where the New Haven Jail was located at the time the Mende African captives were housed there. Each of the three sides of the memorial depicts Joseph Cinqué, the leader of the rebellion. On the first side, in his native clothing in Sierra Leone, Africa, on the second side, in court during his trials, and on the third side, after he won his freedom. The fourth side, facing up, only visible from the upper floors of City Hall, depicts a face and hands in water. Cinque’s famous demand — MAKE US FREE — is engraved on the granite base, along with explanatory text.
