Lewis Tappan (1788-1873) was a New York abolitionist who played a key role in the 1839-1841 Amistad case and in the founding of the American Missionary Association in 1846.
Biography[]
Lewis Tappan was born in Northampton, Massachusetts in 1788, the brother of US Senator Benjamin Tappan and abolitionist Arthur Tappan. He worked in a dry goods store before venturing into commerce, and, following his reading of William Wilberforce's biography, he decided to become an abolitionist. In 1839, he was contacted by Connecticut abolitionists about the Amistad case, and he ensured the acquisition of high-quality lawyers for the captives, as well as increasing public support and fundraising. Finally, he organized the return trip home to Africa for surviving members of the group. In 1841, he started The Mercantile Agency, and he was among the founders of the American Missionary Association in 1846. After the American Civil War, he founded numerous schools and colleges to aid in the education of freedmen, and he died in 1873.