A Multi-Agency Archeological Survey In Search Of Evidence Of The Pirate Slave Trader Guerrero Along The Boundary Of Biscayne National Park And The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Part of: Society for Historical Archaeology 2018

While often overshadowed by the slave revolt aboard the schooner Amistad in 1839, the saga of the pirate-slaver Guerrero and HMS Nimble provide an equally epic display of the horrors, dangers, and reality of suppressing the then-illegal slave trade in the perilous Florida Straits. While the vessels’ conflict only reflects a small portion of the crews’ and captive cargo’s struggles, the historical record provides vital clues to the engagement’s archeological signature, as well as the final resting place of Guerrero and the 41 captured Africans who were entombed within its wreckage. Archeological remains of Guerrero have not yet been conclusively identified although a promising candidate exists along the boundary of Biscayne National Park and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. This symposium will discuss the recent multi-agency effort to locate the wreck as well as avocational training opportunities, education, interpretation, and outreach efforts associated with the current survey.

Other Keywords
Guerrero • Shipwreck • Slave trade • Survey • Maritime History • Maritime Archaeology • maritime cultural landscape • Florida • partnerships • capacity building

Temporal Keywords
Nineteenth Century • Early 19th Century • 1827 • 19th Century • Historic, Colonial Florida

Geographic Keywords
North America • Coahuila (State / Territory) • New Mexico (State / Territory) • Oklahoma (State / Territory) • Arizona (State / Territory) • Texas (State / Territory) • Sonora (State / Territory) • United States of America (Country) • Chihuahua (State / Territory) • Nuevo Leon (State / Territory)

Resources Inside This Collection (Viewing 1-5 of 5)

  • Documents (5)
Documents
  • Guerrero and Beyond: New Collaborations in the Study of the Maritime Cultural Landscape of the Upper Florida Keys (2018)
    DOCUMENT Citation Only Frederick H. Hanselmann.

    The historical and archaeological record associated with the Guerrero are but one aspect of the broader maritime activity that has taken place over time and resulted in many shipwrecks in the upper Florida Keys. The University of Miami’s underwater archaeology program was honored to be able to collaborate with both the National Park Service and NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries on the Guerrero Project and assist in the survey and search for the Guerrero and the HMS Nimble, as well as...

  • The NPS Search for Guerrero: Exploration and Partnerships (2018)
    DOCUMENT Citation Only Jeneva Wright.

    The search for Guerrero brings to life a powerful story of human greed, sacrifice, courage, and loss. The effort to locate this shipwreck is supported within the larger framework of the NPS’s five-year Civil Rights Initiative for advancing the management and interpretation of site andstories from within national parks associated with the civil rights movement, African American history, and the African American experience in the United States. It also represents the involvement of the National...

  • A Reciprocal Opportunity: Interning and Contributing on the Guerrero Project (2018)
    DOCUMENT Citation Only Andrianna Dowell. Arlice Marionneaux.

    The history and the search for 19th century pirate-slaver Guerrero, wrecked in the Straits of Florida, brought together a consortium of research organizations and awarded two interns a valuable learning experience. Through the Latino Heritage Internship Program and the American Conservation Experience, interns Andrianna Dowell and Arlice Marionneaux (respectively) partnered with underwater archaeologists from National Park Service to assist in the Guerrero survey. The opportunity fostered...

  • Searching for Guerrero in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (2018)
    DOCUMENT Citation Only Matthew S. Lawrence. Brenda Altmeier. Kamau Sadiki.

    Spurred by Guerrero’s tragic end and its cultural heritage value, researchers have searched for archaeological remains in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) and John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park that bring the story to life. Magnetic and diver surveys by the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society, RPM Nautical Foundation, FKNMS Submerged Resource Inventory Team and Diving With a Purpose (DWP) investigated shallow reefs surrounding Turtle Harbor and located numerous shipwrecks and...

  • To Give Chase Once Again. The Development of A National Park Service (NPS) Research Design In Search Of The Pirate-Slaver Guerrero In Biscayne National Park. (2018)
    DOCUMENT Citation Only Joshua L. Marano.

    While the location of the engagement between HMS Nimble and Guerrero is generally known as Carysfort Reef, the historic delineation of this particular reef is not well defined, leaving the precise location of the wrecking event a mystery. Historical evidence provides insight into a possible archaeological signature of the series of mishaps immediately following the wrecking of Guerrero that may provide clues to its exact location. While previous research has focused south of Biscayne National...