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The Black Schooner: Rebellion on the Amistad
A stunning graphic history of how enslaved Africans on board the Amistad rebelled and captured the slave ship in 1839, challenging a whitewashed version of history and putting the Africans back at the center of their own freedom story
From the trio of Rediker, Lester, and Buhle comes another graphic “history from below” about the Amistad rebellion of 1839 when 53 enslaved Africans on the slave ship Amistad slipped out of their restraints and overpowered their enslavers and ship’s crew. Sold into slavery in their homeland of Sierra Leone and later bound for Puerto Príncipe, Cuba, from Havana, these Africans, led by the charismatic warrior Cinqué, forced the ship’s remaining crew to sail homeward.
Divided into three parts, The Black Schooner begins with the intense night of the uprising and takes readers on a reconstructed journey: from sailing on the open ocean to a New Haven, Connecticut, jail, where the captured Africans awaited trial for mutiny and murder; to the Supreme courtroom that found that the rebels had been illegally enslaved and would now be free to return to their native land. Through it all, artist David Lester chronicles their story using striking imagery, showing how they achieved an unexpected and powerful international victory for the abolitionist movement and forced some of the most powerful people in the world to confront the issue of human bondage.
Based on Rediker’s book The Amistad Rebellion: An Atlantic Odyssey of Slavery and Freedom, The Black Schooner challenges a whitewashed history and instead, puts the Africans back at the center of their own freedom story--where they belong.
From the trio of Rediker, Lester, and Buhle comes another graphic “history from below” about the Amistad rebellion of 1839 when 53 enslaved Africans on the slave ship Amistad slipped out of their restraints and overpowered their enslavers and ship’s crew. Sold into slavery in their homeland of Sierra Leone and later bound for Puerto Príncipe, Cuba, from Havana, these Africans, led by the charismatic warrior Cinqué, forced the ship’s remaining crew to sail homeward.
Divided into three parts, The Black Schooner begins with the intense night of the uprising and takes readers on a reconstructed journey: from sailing on the open ocean to a New Haven, Connecticut, jail, where the captured Africans awaited trial for mutiny and murder; to the Supreme courtroom that found that the rebels had been illegally enslaved and would now be free to return to their native land. Through it all, artist David Lester chronicles their story using striking imagery, showing how they achieved an unexpected and powerful international victory for the abolitionist movement and forced some of the most powerful people in the world to confront the issue of human bondage.
Based on Rediker’s book The Amistad Rebellion: An Atlantic Odyssey of Slavery and Freedom, The Black Schooner challenges a whitewashed history and instead, puts the Africans back at the center of their own freedom story--where they belong.
136 pages, Paperback
First published June 9, 2026
About the author
David Lester
13 books45 followersDavid Lester is a painter, graphic designer, cartoonist, and the guitarist in the rock duo Mecca Normal. His graphic novel The Listener was a finalist for ForeWord Reviews' "2012 Book Of The Year Award" in the graphic novel category and was also selected as one of the best books of 2011, so far, by the School Library Journal (New York). His first book, The Gruesome Acts of Capitalism went into a revised second printing. He has created the poster series "Inspired Agitators," archived at The Center for the Study of Political Graphics in Los Angeles, and designed the popular t-shirt "Actually, I like crap." Lester also does a weekly illustration, with text by Mecca Normal bandmate Jean Smith, for Magnet Magazine. His comics appeared in Drippytown #4, Warburger (Slovinia) and Broken Pencil magazine. As well, his cartoons appeared regularly for a year in the San Diego Reader. Mecca Normal recorded an album in late 2012 with Kramer as producer. David is currently working on a graphic novel about Emma Goldman. He lives in Vancouver, Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 21, 2026
A graphic retelling of the fifty-three enslaved Africans who overpowered their white captors to take over the Amistad, a slave ship bound for the sugar cane fields of Cuba. Taken aginst their will from their African homeland, for the first time the retelling focuses on the hard work of the captives, rather than the white abolitionists who supportered their cause in American courtrooms. The illustrations present the graphic violence of the slave trade with realistically-rendered figures that lead readers to believe that they are part of the court room drama to claim their freedom. An important description of the Amistad Rebellion which examines the complexities of this important historical event.
September 25, 2026
The Black Schooner: Rebellion on the Amistad by David Lester and Marcus Rediker, with Paul Buhle
Reading history:
Normally I keep this in my private notes section, but I'm moving it. Yay!
Reading history was not added on Goodreads, but was instead kept on a small piece of paper with the book.
Started September 24th, 2026.
Finished September 24th, 2026.
September 24th, 2026: read entire book in physical copy.
Reading history:
Normally I keep this in my private notes section, but I'm moving it. Yay!
Reading history was not added on Goodreads, but was instead kept on a small piece of paper with the book.
Started September 24th, 2026.
Finished September 24th, 2026.
September 24th, 2026: read entire book in physical copy.
Review of advance copy received from Author
View my full review on Graphic Medicine! https://www.graphicmedicine.org/comic...
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June 15, 2026Booklist review pending
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews