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Relaunching the Schooner Amistad.(history of the kidnapping/mutiny)
- Article from:
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American Visions
- Article date:
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August 1, 2000
- Author:
- Mitchell, William Frank
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Copyright informationCOPYRIGHT 2000 Heritage Information Holdings, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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As America's bicentennial in 1976 inspired many citizens to search for the nation's missing stories and heroes, one Warren Q. Marr II chartered the schooner Western Union, renamed it Amistad, and organized a crew to sail her in New York City's annual parade of tall ships, Operation Sail (OpSail) '76. It was a small step toward ensuring that blacks' relationship with the sea would not be overlooked. Thus began a long journey to memorialize the Amistad revolt of 1839.
William Pinkney, an African-American sailor from Chicago, attended the 1976 parade and wondered about the Amistads history. He was introduced to Marr, then editor of the NAACP's Crisis magazine. Together, they ...