New Haven Independent

The Amistad freedom schooner has returned to its home port of New Haven from Mystic Seaport, where it was made ship-shape for its first trans-Atlantic voyage, beginning on Thursday.

Events have been taking place all week, some in conjunction with this year’s Arts and Ideas Festival.

Former Amistad captain and now Amistad America spokesman Bill Pinkney (pictured) gave a preview on Monday of what’s ahead as the ship sails first to England, where it will participate in ceremonies marking the bicentennial of the end of the trans-Atlantic slave trade back in 1807, then on to Sierra Leone, West Africa, which is the land from which the 53 Africans were kidnapped who would eventually win their freedom on U.S. shores and sail back to Africa. That episode — the Cinque/ Singbeh Pieh revolt and trial — gave the schooner its name, and historic mission.

And 2008 marks the 200th anniversary of the end of the slave trade in the U.S. (as required by the Constitution, thinking ahead a few decades).

Pinkney said the story of the Amistad incident is the story of people (the Africans) standing up for themselves, being supported by others (abolitionists and others of good will) who knew their cause was just, and becoming free not just by running away, but by winning a victory in court.

Amistad Executive Director Greg Belanger (pictured) explained that the slogan for the voyage is “Confronting the Past and Transforming the Future.” He said, “One of the things to recognize is that enslavement still exists today and needs to be constantly brought into the public consciousness.” He added that at the Amistad’s press conference in England, the British official in charge of human trafficking and trying to eliminate it made that connection explicit.

Crew member Drew Kerlee (pictured) said he worked for a stint on the local schooner, Quinnipiack, and as soon as he learned about this Amistad voyage he set his sights on being part of it. He pursued his dream while living on the West Coast and in Hawaii, and he joined the crew a few months ago.

p(clear).After more festivities (check the Amistad America website for more information), the Amistad pushes off from its Long Wharf mooring at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday.