Anti-slavery symbol sails to Hudson Valley, greeted by educational festival

Shirley Shangguan Guest Writer

Visitors to the Amistad event from Oct. 12-Oct. 14 had a chance to actively explore the history of slavery in America, a history with which many would be surprised to learn that the Hudson Valley is quite intimately linked. A replica of the cargo schooner, on which captured African men fought for and later won their freedom, docked at Waryas park twice in October, and was the centerpiece of a three-day event that celebrated African culture and explored abolitionist history. The schooner is scheduled to return to Waryas Park from Oct. 19-Oct. 20.

Constructed by the non-profit organization Amistad America, the replica of the schooner was first launched in 2000. It has since stopped at each of the Great Lakes, and along the coast from Maine to Miami. Next year, the Amistad will sail to Britain in commemoration of the 200-year anniversary of the Wibeforce Act, which abolished the International Slave Trade. The ship will continue on to Ireland, Sierra Leone, the Caribbean, South Carolina, and then back to its home in New Haven, CT.

Caren Peoples ‘07, a Vassar student involved in the planning of the Amistad event, joined the group in hopes of connecting Hudson Valley residents to the broader American historical narrative.
“The most rewarding aspect of planning this whole event was having the opportunity to bring history to Poughkeepsie,” said Peoples. “I never thought that the Amistad would actually come to the Hudson Valley. This was an important event, a great cause, and an excellent way for people to learn about African American history.”

The Amistad remains a symbol of the struggle against slavery in the 19th century, a struggle that many living in the Hudson Valley do not realize to place in the area. According to Professor of History Rebecca Edwards, there was an underground railroad in Dutchess County during the 1800s. Until the 1820s, slaves who came from New Jersey and New York were taken the Eastern part of Albany, where the Quakers resided. Later, they tried to escape from the upper South. Others were taken to Vermont or Canada.

To kick-off the this year’s Amistad weekend, on Thursday Oct. 12, Edwards gave a two-minute speech, and Mayor Nacy Cozean held a welcome reception. In addition to the boat tours, Vassar students performed on Friday, Oct. 13 and interpreted antebellum abolitionist music on the dockside of Waryas Park. Also, the Simon Studio presented readings from the work of Frederick Douglass by actor Charles Turner. The readings were held in the Second Baptist Church, where Douglass lectured in October 1847, having been denied the right to speak at City Hall. Friday evening concluded with, Samité of Uganda, accompanied by Jeff Haynes on Percussion and Charlie Shrew on Bass and Guitar, who performed a joyful celebration of African music and its influences around the globe at the Cunneen Hackett Theater.

On Saturday, Oct. 14, the Amistad Freedom Festival was held at Waryas Park from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. There was breakfast in the park, schooner tours, origami boats, children’s activities, storytelling, music by St. Mark’s AME Zion Choir, Second Baptist Males Choir, Walker Family Band, Vassar Anti-slavery singers, and Girl Scouts Al’kebulan Drumming Circle. The Amistad sailed for Kingston at 1 p.m.

The Mid-Hudson Anti-Slavery Project co-sponsored the event with Vassar’s History Department. The Anti-Slavery Project coordinated the schooner’s arrival, and made the event free to the public. Edwards, who co-founded the group along with Jim Mandracchia and Lorraine Roberts, also headed the Amistad events committee. The smaller committee, which included Edwards, and Vassar students Peoples, Rose-Mary Guiltinan ’08, Rachel Miller ’07, Kristina Poznan ’08, and Becky Cantor ’07, began planning the event in July. During their weekly meetings, the Committee would meet with the community in order to receive creative feedback about how event should be run, and also promoted the event throughout the Hudson Valley, posting flyers, and speaking at churches and other community organizations.

In addition to the Committee members, approximately thirty other Vassar students volunteered to help run the weekend events. These volunteers helped people on and off the ship, and engaged visiting children in storytelling, folding origami boats, coloring pages, and singing 18th century protest songs.

After the first docking of the Amistad, Edwards was enthused by the local turnout, and looked forward to the next batch of tours schedule in October.

“By my estimate we took nearly 1,300 people through the schooner,” said Edwards. “Right now, the schooner is in Kingston, but is planning to arrive back in Poughkeepsie on Thursday afternoon with students from the Poughkeepsie Day School, Catherine Street Community Center, and Mill Street Loft who are currently on a ‘Diversity Sail’ with the crew.”

Students who participated in planning the Amistad events spoke positively about the experience.

“What amazed me most about this whole project was how many different groups of people got involved: Vassar organizations; Catharine Street Community Center and the Family Partnership; volunteers from the Coalition to Promote Tolerance,” said student committee member Poznan. “It's great that the Mid-Hudson Anti-Slavery History Project was able to bring all of these people together for a common goal, and to encourage cooperation between them. Hopefully that will continue long after the schooner has left.”