James Covey
Encyclopedia
James Covey was the interpreter used in the Amistad slave ship case (40 U.S. (15 Pet.) 518 (1841))
who spoke Mende
and possibly other African languages
.
Covey was born in Africa
about 1819. At twelve years of age, he was kidnapped
from his Sierra Leone
village by an unknown black man. He was sold at a slave holding camp called Lomboko
. Covey was placed upon a ship
headed for Cuba
, even though the Trans-Atlantic slave trade had already been outlawed. However, the ship was intercepted by a British warship and Covey, with the other captives, was freed. Covey then joined the British fleet. He arrived in New York
aboard the HMS Buzzard in June 1839.
Yale professor Josiah Gibbs, seeking anyone who spoke the Mende language
to assist him by interpreting for the Amistad captives, went to New York Harbor
and loudly counted to ten in Mende until someone who could understand him approached. Gibbs had learned to count in Mende from some of the Africans found aboard the Amistad. Covey approached Gibbs and was eventually taken to New Haven, where he came into contact with the African captives of the Amistad. However, while Covey was able to speak both English and Mende, it was found that only three of the captives spoke Mende.
Covey stayed in New Haven for four months, until he had translated the testimonies
of the three Mende-speaking captives in the Amistad civil trial in Hartford, Connecticut
in 1841. Because of his own experience, Covey was instrumental in interpreting the details of the kidnapping, terror, and eventual mutiny
. The case, and the fate of the captives, was eventually appealed to the United States Supreme Court. The Court ultimately ruled that the captives were not slaves, but free men. Two years after the trials, in November 1841, Covey, along with the surviving Africans of the Amistad, boarded the ship Gentleman and sailed back to Africa.
Amistad (1841)
The Amistad, also known as United States v. Libellants and Claimants of the Schooner Amistad, 40 U.S. 518 , was a United States Supreme Court case resulting from the rebellion of slaves on board the Spanish schooner Amistad in 1839...
who spoke Mende
Mende
Mende may refer to the African ethnic group and its language, various individuals and places.Ethnic group* Mende people* Mende language* Mende syllabary People:...
and possibly other African languages
African languages
There are over 2100 and by some counts over 3000 languages spoken natively in Africa in several major language families:*Afro-Asiatic spread throughout the Middle East, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, and parts of the Sahel...
.
Covey was born in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
about 1819. At twelve years of age, he was kidnapped
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
from his Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
village by an unknown black man. He was sold at a slave holding camp called Lomboko
Lomboko
Lomboko refers to a slave factory; a fortress stockade created by the infamous Spanish slave trader Pedro Blanco. It consisted of several large holding depots or barracoons for slaves brought from the interior, as well as several palatial buildings for Blanco's use, to hold his wives and...
. Covey was placed upon a ship
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
headed for Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, even though the Trans-Atlantic slave trade had already been outlawed. However, the ship was intercepted by a British warship and Covey, with the other captives, was freed. Covey then joined the British fleet. He arrived in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
aboard the HMS Buzzard in June 1839.
Yale professor Josiah Gibbs, seeking anyone who spoke the Mende language
Mende language
Mende is a major language of Sierra Leone, with some speakers in neighboring Liberia. It is spoken by the Mende people and by other ethnic groups as a regional lingua franca in southern Sierra Leone....
to assist him by interpreting for the Amistad captives, went to New York Harbor
New York Harbor
New York Harbor refers to the waterways of the estuary near the mouth of the Hudson River that empty into New York Bay. It is one of the largest natural harbors in the world. Although the U.S. Board of Geographic Names does not use the term, New York Harbor has important historical, governmental,...
and loudly counted to ten in Mende until someone who could understand him approached. Gibbs had learned to count in Mende from some of the Africans found aboard the Amistad. Covey approached Gibbs and was eventually taken to New Haven, where he came into contact with the African captives of the Amistad. However, while Covey was able to speak both English and Mende, it was found that only three of the captives spoke Mende.
Covey stayed in New Haven for four months, until he had translated the testimonies
Testimony
In law and in religion, testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter. All testimonies should be well thought out and truthful. It was the custom in Ancient Rome for the men to place their right hand on a Bible when taking an oath...
of the three Mende-speaking captives in the Amistad civil trial in Hartford, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
in 1841. Because of his own experience, Covey was instrumental in interpreting the details of the kidnapping, terror, and eventual mutiny
Mutiny
Mutiny is a conspiracy among members of a group of similarly situated individuals to openly oppose, change or overthrow an authority to which they are subject...
. The case, and the fate of the captives, was eventually appealed to the United States Supreme Court. The Court ultimately ruled that the captives were not slaves, but free men. Two years after the trials, in November 1841, Covey, along with the surviving Africans of the Amistad, boarded the ship Gentleman and sailed back to Africa.