He is also known for his attempt to establish the United States' first college for African Americans in New Haven, and for his role in the Amistad affair.
Working closely with both William Lloyd Garrison and Arthur Tappan, he introduced his plan to create an African-American college to the New Haven community on September 7, 1831.
Unfortunately, this coincided with the news of Nat Turner's Rebellion of late August in Virginia—some newspapers put stories of the proposed college and the revolt side-by-side[1]—heightening the fear of Blacks nationwide.
Jocelyn's project was met with overwhelming opposition[2][3]—the vote against it in New Haven was 700 to 4[4]: 148 —and he eventually was forced to resign from his position as pastor of the African-American church.
The ship was eventually seized by the United States off the coast of Long Island, New York, and the Africans were imprisoned in New Haven.
Although they were acquitted of murder, a controversy erupted over the Africans' status: were they free, according to U.S. law, which did not permit the importation of slaves?