The Last Slave Ship Discovered

Two years ago, a submerged vessel was discovered at the bottom of an Alabama River. This discovery turned out to be the long-lost wreck of the Clotilda, the final known slave ship to transport captured Africans to America in 1860. Although more than 12 million Africans endured the transatlantic slave trade over 350 years, the story of the 110 captive men, women, and children brought to Alabama on the Clotilda stands as one of the most well-documented slave voyages in history.

The names of these enslaved Africans and their harrowing journey have been passed down through generations by their descendants, some of whom still reside near the site where the ship was found, in a community known as Africa Town.

For 160 years, the murky waters of the Mobile River concealed a dark chapter in history. In July 1860, under the cover of darkness, the Clotilda was brought to this location, where it imprisoned 110 enslaved Africans in its cramped cargo hold. The conditions onboard were unimaginable, and those held captive endured confinement, poor sanitation, and limited time above deck. The journey across the ocean was agonizing, with no certainty about their destination. Joycelyn Davis, Lorna Gayle Woods, and Thomas Griffin, direct descendants of an African man named Oluwale, who was enslaved in Alabama and renamed Charlie Lewis, share a deep connection to this history. Their ancestors' names and stories have been preserved and passed down through the generations.

This dark chapter in history began when Timothy Mayer, a wealthy businessman, hired Captain William Foster to smuggle a shipload of captive Africans from the kingdom of Dahomey in West Africa to Mobile, Alabama, in 1860. Although slavery was still legal in the Southern United States, the importation of new slaves into America had been prohibited since 1808. Captain Foster described in his journal how he purchased the captives for $9,000 in gold and merchandise.

Upon arrival in Mobile, the enslaved Africans were handed over to Timothy Mayer and others. Captain Foster claimed to have burned and sunk the Clotilda, attempting to destroy evidence of this illegal act. The ship's exact location remained a mystery until 2018, when local reporter Ben Raines discovered it, submerged in about 20 feet of water near Mobile, following clues from Captain Foster's journal.

The Clotilda's bow remains near the surface of the water, but the stern is buried deep in mud. Due to the poor underwater visibility, diving on the wreck is challenging, and archaeologists have relied on tactile exploration, referring to it as "archeology by Braille." Various artifacts retrieved from the site, such as wooden planks and iron bolts with fire damage, serve as evidence of the ship's history. Archaeologists hope to find traces of human DNA in the wreckage, potentially offering a link to the enslaved Africans who endured this ordeal.

The state of Alabama has allocated one million dollars for further excavation to determine if the Clotilda can be raised from the riverbed. The ship's condition and the cost of such an effort remain uncertain.

Africa Town, founded around 1868 by 30 of the Africans brought on the Clotilda, is the only surviving community in America founded by Africans. Despite its prosperous past, Africa Town faced challenges, including the construction of an interstate highway that disrupted the community in the 1990s. Today, fewer than 2,000 people reside in Africa Town, surrounded by industrial developments and factories.

The descendants of the Clotilda survivors hope that the discovery of the ship will rekindle interest in revitalizing Africa Town. They also wish for the descendants of Timothy Mayer, who enslaved their ancestors, to acknowledge their historical role and possibly engage in partnerships to support the community's development.

While some descendants have reached out to the Mayer family, no meeting has taken place. Mike Foster, a distant cousin of Captain William Foster, expressed his regret for the actions of his ancestor and offered an apology during a visit to Africa Town. He acknowledged the distressing history but did not feel personal guilt, as he was not responsible for the past.

The descendants we spoke with desire to see Africa Town restored and rebuilt while honoring the memory of the African men and women who founded it. The state of Alabama plans to construct a Welcome Center to attract tourism to the area. However, the descendants hope for more extensive efforts to preserve and commemorate the legacy of their ancestors who endured the horrors of the Clotilda's journey and built a thriving community against all odds.