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Ali Valerio

Dr. Marinara

ENC 3315

6 September 2014

Woodruffs Mark on Amistad History

While its name means friendship, the Amistad was a ship that brought death and
destruction to a group of Africans who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Their story is
one of tragedy, misery, and unspeakable cruelty, yet also one of perseverance, hope, and
eventual triumph. It is a moment in history that many African Americans later regarded with
pride, including one called Hale Woodruff. Woodruff was a painter who was greatly influenced
by the Amistad case, and to show this he painted a series of murals that depicted key moments in
the story. These 3 murals are some of his most well-known work, and the riveting emotions they
display reflect the passion he felt for the dramatic event. In my essay I will communicate the
history behind Woodruffs murals, what they depict from the Amistad case, and how the images
portray the intense emotions involved in the case.
Background on Hale Woodruff
Hale Woodruff was a well-respected black artist and art educator, known as one of the
most talented African American artists of the Depression era (Hale Woodruff). He was born
in Cairo, Illinois in 1900, and early in life he discovered both his passion for art and the reality of
racism; he desired to study art in high school but was not allowed because of segregation. He
was allowed, however, to draw cartoons for his school newspaper. He later studied art at a
number of universities, including Academie Moderne and Academie Scandinave in Paris. He
began a career as the first art educator at Atlanta University in 1931, where he built a thriving art
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program that included The Atlanta Annuals, a series of national art exhibitions for African
American artists. This further led to development of Atlanta Universitys historic collection of
African American art. Other notable acts of Woodruff include teaching at New York University
from 1946 until 1948 when he retired, and establishing a discussion group in 1963 for African
American artists that later influenced the Black Arts Movements of the 1960s and 70s. At the
First World Festival of Negro Arts, held in Dakar, Senegal, Woodruff was the chair of the visual
arts committee for the United States exhibition. Woodruff was successful in promoting the
importance of African American artwork in the world. As he said in a statement in 1968, the
one thing I think that must be guarded against, is that, in our efforts to create a black image and
assert our quality, our character, our blackness, our beauty, and all that, the art form must remain
one of high level (Dunkley). Despite all his achievements, Woodruff never forgot the
importance of his art.
The Amistad Murals
Throughout his art career, Woodruff created three series of murals, one of which was The
Amistad series. These murals depict major points in the history of the Amistad case, a historic
event where 53 Africans were illegally taken from their homes and nearly forced into slavery on
a ship called the Amistad. The Africans fought back and demanded to be sailed home, but they
were tricked and sailed to the United States. A court case ensued pertaining to the multiple
claims of ownership of the Amistad, and the District Court declared them free men. The case was
appealed to the Supreme Court, where they were also found to be free men and were allowed to
return to Africa. The outcome of United States v. The Amistad led to a turning point for the
abolitionist movement in 1841.
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The Amistad murals were painted in 1939 and 1940 and were directly inspired by the
treatment of blacks in his own time period; specifically, the southern lynchings of blacks in the
1930s. They reflected his style of bold and muscular (Smithsonian), and his insight to
cubanism, regionalism, and murals that he gained throughout his life up to that point. He was
exposed to cubanism while studying in Paris; in that era, regionalism was a popular style in the
segregated south, which he adopted his work as well; and he worked with the great muralist
Diego Rivera in Mexico in 1938. The Amistad murals were commissioned in 1939 in celebration
of the one-hundred year anniversary of the Amistad case, and they were displayed in the Slave
Library at Atlantas Talladega College.
Woodruffs First Mural
The first mural in Woodruffs series is titled The Revolt. It depicts the Africans initial
fight for the return of their freedom on board the Amistad. It shows the Africans with knives
fighting the Spaniards with the guns. The Spaniards look well-dressed and groomed, while the
Africans look malnourished and are only covered in white cloths that resemble diapers. Yet, the
Spaniards appear skinny and weak, and the Africans muscular and powerful. The Africans have
their knives in full view held high in the air, which look fat and menacing; the Spaniards have
their skinny and feeble-looking guns partially hidden (which makes them appear to be even less
of a threat) and pointed down in defeat. The jaggedness of the sea waves reflect the chaos
happening on board the Amistad.
There are fallen men on both sides, indicating this was a costly battle, but while the
Spaniards have looks of horror on their faces, the Africans have looks of sturdy focus. They
seem absolutely determined to win this fight. In the left part of the background, a clump of
Africans wave their knives and hands in the air in triumph, nearly smiling; in the right part of the
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background, two Spaniards (one with a look of hatred on his face) attempt to escape on a
lifeboat. These are probably J ose Ruiz and Pedro Montez, who are captured by the Africans and
forced to sail them back to their home.
Although this image depicts the middle of a battle, it is not hard to see from the elements
displayed who comes out victorious. The Africans clearly win the fight. They are stronger, more
powerful, and have more motivation than the Spaniards. The Africans success in Woodruffs
first mural could be foreshadowing the ultimate success that the Africans will later have in their
trial.
Woodruffs Second Mural
In the second mural, The Court Case, depicts the Circuit Court trial in which lawyer
Roger Baldwin and the Abolitionists tried to argue that the Africans were not property but free
men. The judge, Andrew J udson, governed the trial without a jury. It was rumored that President
Martin Van Buren picked J udson for the case, as he wanted to keep the Africans enslaved in
order to ensure southern support. J udson had ruled against blacks in the past, and he was
expected to do it again. Those on the left side of the room include Cinque, the leader of the
African tribe; Roger Baldwin, the lawyer who defended the Africans; Lewis Tappan, one of the
Abolitionists; and J ames Covey, the translator for the Africans. The Africans appear tense and
their faces are downcast, and they are anxiously talking to each other during the proceedings.
Those on the right side of the room include J ose Ruiz and Pedro Montez, the Spaniards who
claimed that the Africans were their property; Lieutenant Thomas Gedney, the commanding
officer of the brig Washington that seized the Amistad, and demanded a salvage award; and
Henry Gilpin, who claimed the Amistad and its cargo (including the Africans) should be returned
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to Spain. Some have looks of smugness on their faces, believing their claim will win out over the
others.
It came as a surprise, however, when he decided the Africans were free men, not
property, and should be released. The image shows the judge with his head facing the Africans,
possibly to indicate that they are about to win the case. Again, this painting shows the court case
at any possible moment, but from analysis one can see that the Africans will win.
Woodruffs Third Mural
The third mural, Back to Africa, shows the now freed Africans on board a ship with the
Abolitionists, who help them return home. This painting has an atmosphere of cheer and
celebration. The Africans are holding their belongings and raising their hands in praise. One
bows low with his hand over his heart and his eyes closed, possibly in prayer. There is an
African child in the picture, which could be a symbol of innocence. There are also doves flying
in the background, which could represent peace. There are more Africans in a smaller boat in the
background, with their arms also raised in triumph. This is the final painting in the series, and it
echoes what the entire series has shown all along: the victory of the Africans.
There are plenty of moments that Woodruff could have chosen to paint from this story,
but he chose to paint three points that distinctly ended in victory for the Africans. And as this
event was a success for the abolitionist movement, its long-term effects were positive as well.
The bright colors throughout show that there was always hope for the Africans, and in the end,
that hope did not fail them. More than anything, these paintings portray the emotions of the
people involved in the case. Woodruffs use of color, body language, facial expressions, and
posture show how emotionally charged the entire ordeal actually was.
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Woodruffs murals showed the Africans journey from slavery to freedom, and his work
reminds us of the emotional impact of such an event. After resting in the Slave Library at
Talladega College with other murals depicting black victories, the series embarked on a national
tour and currently resides in the Smithsonians National Museum of American History.





































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Works Cited

"The Amistad Affair: A Trial History." Univerisity of Missouri - Kansas City, n.d. Web. 06 Sept.

2014.

"The Amistad Case." The National Portrait Gallery, n.d. Web. 06 Sept. 2014.

"Amistad: The Federal Courts and the Challenge to Slavery Historical Background and

Documents." History of the Federal Judiciary. Federal J udicial Center, n.d. Web. 6 Sept.

2014.

Dunkley, Tina. "Hale Woodruff (1900-1980)." Georgiaencyclopedia.org. New Georgia

Encycloedia, n.d. Web. 06 Sept. 2014.

"Hale Woodruff - Biography." RoGallery.com. RoGallery: Select Artworks Online, n.d.

Web. 06 Sept. 2014.

"Hale Woodruff." Americanart.si.edu. Smithsonian American Art Museum, n.d. Web. 06 Sept.

2014.

"Images of the Amistad Case." University of Missouri - Kansas City, n.d. Web. 06 Sept. 2014.

Kann, Drew. "Artist Hale Woodruff." Chicago Tonight. Chicago Tonight, n.d. Web. 06 Sept.

2014.

Linder, Douglas O. "The Amistad Case." Famous American Trials. University of Missouri-

Kansas City, n.d. Web. 06 Sept. 2014.

"National Museum of African American History and Culture Presents Rising Up: Hale

Woodruffs Murals at Talladega College." Newsdesk: Newsroom of the Smithsonian.

Smithsonian, n.d. Web. 06 Sept. 2014.

Osborne, Kimberly P., and Lester Sullivan. "Hale Woodruff Papers, 1865-1985 | Amistad

Research Center." AmistadResearchCenter.org. Amistad Research Center, n.d. Web. 06

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Sept. 2014.

Waddington, Chris. "'Rising Up'" NOLA.com. National Orleans Museum of Art, n.d. Web. 06

Sept. 2014.