Amistad Trial:
Reverend James W.C. Pennington and Talcott Street Church Assisted the Africans on Trial
The Amistad story began in February 1839 when Portuguese slave hunters abducted hundreds of Africans . Several days into the journey one of the kidnapped managed to unshackle himself and others. They killed the ship’s cook and the Spanish captain. The Africans ordered Montes and Ruiz to steer the ship eastward back to Africa, but the Spanish men privately changed direction and the Amistad sailed to the east coast of the United States. On August 26, the Amistad was seized by the U.S Brig Washington in Long Island, New York. All were taken to New London, CT. The Amistad Trial relation to the Talcott Street church is James W.C Pennington was the head pastor of the church when the trial broke the news. Pennington got personally involved, as did the Talcott church; some members of the church, including Augustus Washington, who was the headmaster/teacher of the Talcott Church Black School, followed the Africans back to Africa.