Discovering Amistad

Last week we had the honor of joining The Amistad Commission, in NJ, for their "Summer Institute" where hundreds of school teachers comes together in a week of professional development. This image shows Director of Education, Chris Menapace, teaching the Amistad history to over 200 teachers!

Thank you so much for having us!

Congratulations to all of the LEAP students that graduated from the Amistad Leadership Academy tonight!

These students spent 20 hours learning arts, culture, and leadership through various workshops.

Together they created this amazing Amistad Mural along with New Haven artist Kwadwo Adae. And tonight we unveiled it for the first time. Once the finishing touches are done this Murel will be displayed throughout the state of CT.

We would like to thank our Community Initiatives Manager, Reeshemah Norfleet and DA Educator Michael Sawyer for all your hard work on this academy of 50 kids. It was no small feet.

Special thank you to our sponsors: The City of New Haven and the New Alliance Foundation.

Well done all!

Missed our May 1st event celebrating James Mars Day? Watch the video here!

Thank you Connecticut Democracy Center for capturing and hosting this momentous occasion!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-feIDAVtWlU

A huge thank you to Farmington Historical Society for taking the staff of Discovering Amistad on their Odyssey of the Amistad A Trail to Freedom walking tour!

This tour does an exceptional job at detailing the time the Amistad Africans spent in Farmington, after they were deemed free by the US Supreme Court. Check out tour availability at www.fhs-ct.org

A letter from Paula on this 250th Independence Day
Friends and partners,

As Executive Director of Discovering Amistad, I’m honored to invite you to mark America’s 250th year by reflecting on a story that continues to guide our path forward: the 1839 Amistad uprising and the courageous pursuit of freedom led by the 53 Mende Africans. Their journey—from resistance at sea to a landmark Supreme Court decision affirming their liberty—reminds us that the American experiment is at its best when it bends toward justice, community, and shared humanity.

America’s 250th is an opportunity to acknowledge the importance of addressing the inequities that are still woven into the fabric of this country. At Discovering Amistad, we are committed to utilizing the Amistad Freedom Schooner as a platform to share stories of “unsung heroes” that contributed greatly to American History.

Our Mission is Underway — On Shore!
This Semiquincentennial year, Discovering Amistad is carrying that legacy into classrooms, libraries, museums, and community venues across the region. While our schooner remains docked this season as we complete the work to secure and install new masts, our mission is powerfully underway on shore. Our educators, crew, and storytellers are engaging students, families, and community leaders in programs that connect the Amistad story to today’s work for equity and civic participation.

Here’s how you can join us:

Engage with our 250th programming. We’re partnering with institutions across Connecticut and the Northeast for talks, living‑history events, and hands‑on learning experiences that illuminate the Amistad case and its modern resonances. Visit here often for the most up‑to‑date schedule.

Bring students aboard. Our shipboard curriculum travels with us. Whether on the pier, in a library, or in your school, students explore leadership, resilience, and civic voice through the lens of Sengbe Pieh’s ingenuity and the community that rallied for justice.

Help us rig the future. We are in a multi‑year effort to fund and step new masts so the Amistad can sail again. Your support — through donations, sponsorships, or introductions — directly restores this “freedom schooner” and keeps its lessons alive for the next generation.

Host a conversation. The Amistad story is a bridge. We’d be honored to partner with your organization to convene dialogue on freedom, belonging, and the responsibilities of citizenship at 250 years.

America 250 is not only a birthday; it is a mirror. The Amistad teaches that progress is made when ordinary people act with courage, when communities stand together, and when institutions honor the promise of the law. As we celebrate this milestone, let’s recommit to that work—locally, tangibly, and with hope.

Thank you for walking with us. I look forward to seeing you at an event this season and welcoming you aboard when the Amistad returns for the 2027 Voyage for Freedom.

With gratitude and resolve,

Paula Mann-Agnew CSW, MSW
Executive Director
Discovering Amistad
[email protected]

Congratulations to Joanna Steinberg and all of our friends at the New Haven Museum on such a wonderful exhibit!

New Haven's Unfinished Revolutions- highlights the revolutionary moments in New Haven's history while highlighting indigenous and BIPOC communities and their own fights for equality and freedom.

Be sure to check it out for the 250th!

Congratulations to our Amistad Student Spotlight for July!
Serge Fabre, an alumnus of the Amistad Leadership Academy. Serge participated in the filming of the Discovering Amistad commercial and has a true passion and heart for community work. He is dedicated to serving others, uplifting his community, and using his leadership to create positive change. We celebrate Serge for his commitment, creativity, and desire to make an impact.

Serge shared:

"The Amistad Leadership was my first introduction to community advocacy. Inspired by the program, I went on to found the Greeneville Youth Council to uplift local youth and involve them in choices that affect them. We created a system of community gardens to fight our town’s food deserts and we’ve made a lot of progress in the pedestrian safety project I started at the academy. Now, I’m attending UConn to study Natural Resources and the Environment with a minor in Community Food Systems."