Amistad is what is known as top-sail schooner, or a Baltimore Clipper – a recreation of what historians believe to be the best representation of what La Amistad would have looked like on the outside in 1839. 

The impetus for the building Amistad came from Warren Q. Marr II, former editor of the NAACP's The Crisis magazine. Marr's inspiration for the recreation emerged during Operation Sail 1976, a tall ship festival held that year in New York Harbor. Participating in that event was a representation of La Amistad; it was actually an old Western Union vessel with its name temporarily hidden under signs proclaiming her Amistad. 

Marr wanted the story of the African captives' fight for freedom on the seas, in a New Haven court and in a landmark United States Supreme Court case, to be told. Marr's goal was to design the re-created vessel as a floating exhibit and classroom, assemble a crew, and sail her from port to port teaching the history of The Amistad Incident of 1839. Marr believed the Amistad story could foster unity among people of diverse backgrounds and help improve race relations.

In the late 90s, Mystic Seaport embraced the Amistad project because it contains many elements consistent with the Museum's mission "to create a broad, public understanding of the relationship of America and the sea." Amistad became the first and largest vessel ever constructed at Mystic Seaport, where shipyard staff coordinated construction with students from vocational schools in Connecticut and with volunteers.

Discovering Amistad picks up the mantle of Warren Marr with our mission of championing the important issues of racial and social justice framed, literally and metaphorically, by the Amistad story.

Ship’s Specifications

Launched: March 25, 2000.
Rig: Topsail Schooner
Operator: Discovering Amistad, Inc.
Home Port: New Haven, CT
Flag: US
Call Letters: WCZ 9672
Length Over All: 129' (39.4m)
Length Over Rail: 85' (26m)
Length On Deck: 81' (24.7m)
Length At Waterline: 78' (23.8m)
Beam: 23' (7.0lm)
Height of Masts: 100' (30.5m)
Draft: 10.6' (3.3m)

The Shipkeeper’s Log

Shipkeeper
1: a watchman in charge of a ship in the absence of officers and crew

Our Shipkeeper, RJ Lavallee, has been in charge of Amistad since April of 2021. Join him for periodic updates on the work going on on board Amistad, as he walks us around the boat and educates us on the details required to make a 128 foot topsail schooner ready for a captain to be able to sail away from the dock without worry.

To view episodes of The Shipkeeper’s Log, click here.