CHAPTER 3 - THE FIRST TRIAL
During early judicial proceedings, Sengbe and Kimbo, another captive, told their stories through an interpreter. That first trial held no surprises. The Africans lost. But Martin Van Buren, then President of the United States, took actions that changed the course of events for these captives. Before the Amistad Africans had a chance to appeal their loss, Van Buren authorized a navy ship to take the Africans back to Cuba! That was a blatant violation of due process, and the stage was set for the ultimate battle in the United States Supreme Court. A group of abolitionists heard about the plight of the Africans and hired Roger Sherman Baldwin, an attorney from Connecticut. Baldwin was known as a man who spoke for the downtrodden. However, he could not speak for clients whose language he did not understand. Fortunately, the abolitionists found James Covey at the docks in New York. Covey had been born in Mendi country (where his name was Kaw-we-li) and he spoke Sengbe's language. (Take a look at this incredible web site on the Mendi language.) When Baldwin and the abolitionists heard the whole story from the people who had lived through it, they were determined to win the Africans their freedom. With the President and his administration against them, however, the road would not be easy.  | GO TO STORY INDEX |  |