Letters

“Give Us Us Free” were the powerful words spoken in broken English by Joseph Cinque during the final trial of the Amistad. I watched the “Amistad” movie, in which former President John Quincy Adams accepted the job of representing the Amistad captives, hoping he would “do justice to their cause.” Adams spoke before the court for about nine hours and succeeded in moving the majority to decide in favor of freeing the captives once and for all. It was deemed one of the trials of the century.

One of most riveting statements, and my favorite Adams statement, was: “And the proof is the length to which a man, woman or child will go to regain it (freedom) once taken. He will break loose his chains. He will decimate his enemies. He will try and try and try, against all odds, against all prejudices, to get home.”

If you haven’t seen the “Amistad” movie by Steven Spielberg, I strongly suggest you do. And even if you have, how about watching it again? (Sidebar: The movie notes that the ship came into “Long Island,” specifically, Montauk’s Culloden Point Beach.)

For Black History 365 today, let’s learn about the hidden factual history regarding the Statue of Liberty.

Many of us know and were taught that the Statue of Liberty was a gift from the people of France, that it has watched over New York Harbor since 1886, and that on her base is a tablet inscribed with words penned by Emma Lazarus in 1883: “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.” Those words actually seem so fitting for the Amistad story and others in our history. Yes?

Let’s keep learning: I’m not sure how many of us know about the architectural alterations of the original design of the Statue of Liberty. The sculptor/designer/architect Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi originally designed Lady Liberty holding broken chains, but later the explicit reference to slavery was deemed too controversial, so instead became the position of her tablet.

There were many discussions about the statue. Even the suffragettes chimed in, saying that you have a woman representing freedom — and women don’t have the right or the freedom to vote. So instead of removing the chains, Bartholdi opted to place the chains and shackles at the feet of Lady Liberty, to symbolize liberty breaking free from bondage.

So much of American history is hidden forgotten or missing. Let’s keep learning together. It’s better.

Brenda Simmons

Founder

Southampton African American Museum