Lewis Tappan

American Businessman

About Lewis Tappan

Lewis Tappan (May 23, 1788 – June 21, 1873) was a New York abolitionist who worked to achieve freedom for the enslaved Africans aboard the Amistad. Tappan was also among the founders of the American Missionary Association in 1846, which began more than 100 anti-slavery Congregational churches throughout the Midwest, and after the American Civil War, founded numerous schools and colleges to aid in the education of freedmen.

Contacted by Connecticut abolitionists soon after the Amistad arrived in port, Tappan focused extensively on the captive Africans. He ensured the acquisition of high-quality lawyers for the captives, which led to their being set free after the case went to the United States Supreme Court. With his brother Arthur, Tappan not only gained legal help and acquittal for the Africans, but also managed to increase public support and fundraising. Finally, he organized the return trip home to Africa for surviving members of the group.

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Quotes by Lewis Tappan

If any fall by the hand of violence, others will continue the blessed work.

Lewis Tappan

If you wish to draw off the people from a bad or wicked custom, you must beat up for a march; you must make an excitement, do something that everybody will notice.

Lewis Tappan

Indeed, the whole company, although thin in flesh, and generally of slight forms, and limbs, especially, are as good looking and intelligent a body of men as we usually meet with.

Lewis Tappan

Most of the prisoners told the interpreter that they are from Mandingo.

Lewis Tappan

One of the men attached to the prison was the occasion of great amusement on the part of the prisoners, as well as the spectators, by taking a large lump of ice to show these strangers from the tropics.

Lewis Tappan

The African prisoners are orderly and peaceable among themselves.

Lewis Tappan

The Anti-Slavery public have generously responded to our appeal, and sent the means to enable us to fit them out well, to pay their passages, supply them with many useful articles and give the Missionaries money to sustain themselves for a while.

Lewis Tappan

The curiosity to see the prisoners appears to be unabated.

Lewis Tappan

The event of the landing of these brethren upon our shores is to be, not without its beneficial effect, as well to the colored population of this country, as it promises to be to ill-fated Africa.

Lewis Tappan

The prisoners eyed the clothes some time, and laughed a good deal among themselves before they put them on.

Lewis Tappan

There is too much theology in the Church now, and too little of the Gospel.

Lewis Tappan

These meetings all have excited great attention, and have been of an exceedingly interesting character.

Lewis Tappan

They have a fine breeze and are now we hope, well on their way.

Lewis Tappan

They said their sufferings were great on the passage, and several of their number had died.

Lewis Tappan

We will persevere, come life or death.

Lewis Tappan

You may imagine the joy manifested by these poor Africans, when they heard one of their own color address them in a friendly manner, and in a language they could comprehend!

Lewis Tappan