Greetings; let me start with some history:

For the past two years, Mystic Seaport has been involved in planning the
building of a reproduction of a ship, the _Amistad_.  In 1839 fifty-three
illegally enslaved Africans were on this schooner and were being
transported from Havana to another port in Cuba when they overpowered the
crew and tried to sail back to Africa.  After a two month odyssey the
voyage ended on the eastern end of Long Island and they were taken into
custody and delivered to New London, Connecticut, and from there to New
Haven to stand trial.  What I have thus far related to you is just the
beginning of a very important story in the history of the struggle over
human rights in the United States.  It is the incident around which the
Abolition movement coalesced.  It is a story that many more people will
become familiar with after the completion of the "major motion picture" by
Stephen Spielberg.  (His location-scouting visit here and in Newport, RI,
on Monday, was front page news both in New London and Providence.)

We are working with partners, a new organization - Amistad America - will
actually own and operate the completed vessel; and a large grant from the
State of Connecticut has been set aside for the construction.  We are still
planning and continue fund raising. We have NOT begun construction as yet,
but HOPE to do so within 12 months time.

Now the reson for this post:

In preparation for this new interpretive focus at this maritime history
museum, we are involved in a major staff training effort and continue
planning for additional training.  We realize that our staff need more than
"just the facts" if they are going to be interpreting this historic event
to a diverse public.  We, in fact, are working to diversify our audience as
we bring forward the issues of race and diversity in the stories of America
and the sea.  We are looking at a specific multi-faceted training program
for everyone on our staff which will help us to examine our own issues
regarding racial and cultural diversity.

In addition to our partners in this collaboration, we have contacted some
great resource people in the National Park Service, at the Holocaust
Museum, at Colonial Williamsburg, and in the local academic community.
However, we are looking for additional resources and so I turn to you -
this electronic community.  If you have conducted training programs to
increase sensitivity and awareness of your staff around the issues of
racial and cultural diversity, especially within a historical context, I
would love to hear about it.  Published articles would also be very useful.

Thanks.

Edward Baker


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Edward Baker
Supervisor of Interpretation
Mystic Seaport Museum
Box 6000
Mystic, CT  06355
(860)572-0711
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