Massachusetts' First African-American Governor Takes Oath of Office on Famed Bible Given to Freed Slaves by President John Quincy Adams

Michael Paulson/TN : Jan 4, 2007
The Boston Globe

In a letter to freed slaves, John Quincy Adams wrote: "It was from that book [the Bible] that I learnt to espouse your cause when you were in trouble."

President John Quincy Adams played a significant role in black history when he persuaded the US Supreme Court to free a group of African captives who had staged a mutiny on the slave ship Amistad. Today, nearly 160 years later, Deval Patrick made history as Massachusetts' first African American governor, taking his oath of office on the leather-bound Bible given by the freed captives to Adams.

"This Bible is a quintessential American symbol, one of democracy, and the inner workings of freedom, and our system of laws, and the abolitionist movement, and it represents a real victory for Africans who stood up for themselves," said Beverly A. Morgan-Welch, the executive director of the Museum of African American History and a co-chair of Patrick's inauguration committee.

The book, notes reporter Michael Paulson, is named the Mendi Bible for the men's tribe, and is part of the collection of the Adams National Historical Park.

According to a report in the Boston Globe, on an inside page of the Bible, the Mendi men wrote a note of thanks to Adams, saying the Bible "has been a precious book to us in prison, and we love to read it now we are free."

Adams reportedly sent the men a letter back, saying, "It was from that book that I learnt to espouse your cause when you were in trouble."