Organizers cancel visit of slave ship 'Amistad' replica

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Amistad, a replica of a 19th century ship whose slave passengers generated a landmark civil rights case after they revolted, isn't likely to visit St. Petersburg after all.

Lack of financial support appears to have doomed the visit, organizers say.

The replica, used by its owners to promote racial understanding, was scheduled to dock at the Pier twice this fall. Plans called for school groups to tour the ship.

"It's very disappointing. We started working on this a year ago," said the Rev. Joseph Harvey, director of the nonprofit Samaritan Corp., a St. Petersburg group that has been planning the visit.

The group needs at least $42,500 to finance the ship's visit, but has only about $13,000, Harvey said. The state of the economy may be a reason support has been low, said David Calametti, whose Class Act Downtown organization signed on to manage the visit.

It isn't clear whether several associated events, such as a multicultural festival at the Pier and a concert by gospel star Shirley Caesar, will go on as scheduled. Harvey said he would like to find a way to save them and perhaps raise money to help bring the Amistad here some other time.

More than 3,000 children, mostly of elementary and middle school age, were expected when the ship docked here Oct. 27 through Nov. 3 and again Dec. 15-22. The ship's owners, Amistad America, might have considered making St. Petersburg the ship's winter home, Harvey said.

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