The last known slave ship | 60 Minutes Archive
TLDRThe script recounts the discovery of the Clotilda, the last known slave ship to bring Africans to America in 1860. It details the journey of 110 captives and their descendants in Africa Town, who have preserved the story of their ancestors. The ship's wreckage was found in 2018, offering tangible evidence of the transatlantic slave trade. The descendants seek recognition and revitalization of their community, while grappling with the legacy of the slave trade and its impact on their lives.
Takeaways
- 📜 The sunken ship 'Clotilda', found in the Alabama River, is identified as the last known slave ship that transported captured Africans to America in 1860.
- 🌍 Despite the transatlantic slave trade spanning over 350 years and involving at least 12 million Africans, the journey of the 110 individuals on the 'Clotilda' is one of the best documented.
- 🧵 The story and names of the enslaved Africans have been passed down through generations by their descendants, many of whom still live in a community called Africa Town.
- 📍 The 'Clotilda' was deliberately sunk in the Mobile River in 1860 to hide evidence of the illegal slave trade after the enslaved were handed over to their owners.
- 🔍 The ship's exact location was discovered in 2018 by a local reporter, Ben Raines, after a seven-month search guided by Captain Foster's journal.
- 🔨 The historical commission granted permission to maritime archaeologist James Delgado to explore the wreck, revealing the ship's condition and potential remnants of its tragic past.
- 🔬 There is a possibility of finding DNA evidence, such as human hair, from the enslaved individuals within the wreck, which could provide further historical insights.
- 🏛️ The state of Alabama has allocated a million dollars for further excavation, with the aim of potentially raising the 'Clotilda' from the riverbed.
- 🏘️ Africa Town, founded by 30 of the Africans from the 'Clotilda', is the only surviving community in America founded by Africans and has a rich history of resilience and prosperity.
- 🚧 The community has faced challenges, including the construction of an interstate highway through its center and the decline of its once-booming black-owned businesses.
- 🤝 The descendants of the 'Clotilda' passengers hope for revitalization and partnership with the descendants of Timothy Mayer, who enslaved their ancestors, to develop the community further.
Q & A
What was the significance of the shipwreck found in the Alabama River?
-The shipwreck found in the Alabama River was the long-lost wreck of the Clotilda, the last known slave ship to bring captured Africans to America in 1860.
How many Africans were shipped to the Americas during the transatlantic slave trade?
-At least 12 million Africans were shipped to the Americas during the more than 350 years of the transatlantic slave trade.
Why is the Clotilda's voyage considered one of the best documented slave voyages in history?
-The Clotilda's voyage is one of the best documented because the names of the enslaved Africans and their story have been passed down through generations by their descendants.
What is the community called where some descendants of the Clotilda's captives still live?
-The community is called Africa Town, located just a few miles from where the ship was found.
Why was the Clotilda towed to the Mobile River under the cover of darkness in 1860?
-The Clotilda was towed under the cover of darkness because importing new slaves into America had been outlawed in 1808, and the voyage was illegal.
Who was Timothy Mayer and what was his role in the Clotilda's voyage?
-Timothy Mayer was a wealthy businessman who hired Captain William Foster to illegally smuggle a shipload of captive Africans from West Africa to Mobile, Alabama.
How did Captain William Foster describe the purchasing of the captives in his journal?
-Captain Foster described purchasing the captives using nine thousand dollars in gold and merchandise.
Who found the Clotilda in the river and how long did it take to locate it?
-Local reporter Ben Raines found the Clotilda in about 20 feet of water after searching for seven months following clues in Captain Foster's journal.
What is the current condition of the Clotilda's wreck underwater?
-The Clotilda's wreck is in difficult conditions for diving with zero visibility, and the ship is 86 feet long with the stern buried deep in mud.
What is the significance of the discovery of the Clotilda for African Americans?
-The discovery of the Clotilda is significant for African Americans as it provides proof of their history and serves as a touchstone to validate their stories of the past.
What is the current state of Africa Town and what are the descendants' hopes for its future?
-Africa Town has seen a decline with fewer than 2,000 people living there and the loss of many black-owned businesses. The descendants hope for revitalization and restoration of the historic black community.
What is the connection between Mike Foster and the Clotilda's captain, and what did he do in response to this discovery?
-Mike Foster discovered he is a distant cousin of William Foster, the captain of the Clotilda. In response, he offered an apology for the actions of his ancestor.
Outlines
📜 Discovery of the Last Slave Ship 'Clotilda'
The script recounts the discovery of the Clotilda, the last known slave ship to bring Africans to America in 1860. The ship was found in the Alabama River, and it carried 110 enslaved men, women, and children. The Clotilda's story is well-documented due to the descendants of the captives, who still live in a community called Africa Town. The script introduces several descendants, including Joycelyn Davis, Lorna Gayle Woods, and Thomas Griffin, and discusses the conditions on the ship, the illegal smuggling operation led by Timothy Mayer, and the ship's eventual sinking. The discovery of the ship in 2018 by reporter Ben Raines and the subsequent archaeological efforts to explore the wreck are highlighted, with the potential for DNA evidence still present from the enslaved Africans.
🔍 Archaeological Exploration and Legacy of the Clotilda
This paragraph delves into the challenges of underwater archaeology at the Clotilda's wreck site, where visibility is zero, and the ship can only be explored by touch. Artifacts such as a plank of wood and an iron bolt showing fire damage are presented as evidence of the ship's history. The potential for DNA remnants of the enslaved Africans on the ship is discussed, along with the state of Alabama's commitment to further excavation. The narrative also touches on the descendants' connection to Africa Town, the community founded by the Clotilda's survivors, and the impact of industrial development on the area, including the construction of an interstate highway that disrupted the community.
🏘️ Revitalization Hopes and Reconciliation for Africa Town
The final paragraph focuses on the descendants' hopes for the revitalization of Africa Town following the Clotilda's discovery. It discusses the desire for involvement from the descendants of Timothy Mayer, who enslaved their ancestors, and the challenges of acknowledging and addressing historical injustices. The narrative includes an account of Mike Foster, a distant cousin of the Clotilda's captain, who offers an apology for his ancestor's actions. The state's plans for a Welcome Center to attract tourism and the community's aspirations for restoration and recognition are also mentioned, emphasizing the importance of honoring the legacy of the Clotilda's founders.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Clotilda
💡Transatlantic Slave Trade
💡Africa Town
💡Enslaved Africans
💡Descendants
💡Emancipation
💡Maritime Archaeologist
💡Underwater Archaeology
💡DNA Evidence
💡African-American History
💡Community Revitalization
Highlights
The sunken ship found in the Alabama River was identified as the Clotilda, the last known slave ship to bring captured Africans to America in 1860.
The journey of the 110 captive men, women, and children on the Clotilda is one of the best-documented slave voyages in history.
The names and stories of the enslaved Africans have been passed down through generations by their descendants.
The descendants of the Clotilda's captives live in a community called Africatown, near where the ship was found.
In 1860, Timothy Mayer hired Captain William Foster to illegally smuggle Africans from West Africa to Alabama.
Slavery was legal in the Southern U.S., but importing new slaves had been outlawed since 1808.
Captain Foster's journal provided details on the purchase and transportation of the captives.
The Clotilda was deliberately sunk by its crew to destroy evidence of the illegal slave trade.
The ship was rediscovered in 2018 by local reporter Ben Raines, based on clues from Foster's journal.
Maritime archaeologist James Delgado verified the wreck and was granted permission to visit the site.
The Clotilda's cargo hold dimensions reveal the cramped conditions the enslaved Africans endured during the voyage.
Artifacts retrieved from the wreck show evidence of fire damage, indicating an attempt to burn the ship.
DNA from the enslaved Africans might still be present in the wreck, providing a potential for further study.
The state of Alabama has allocated funds for further excavation to assess the possibility of raising the Clotilda.
Africatown, founded by the Clotilda's survivors, is the only surviving community in America founded by Africans.
The descendants of the Clotilda's captives have expressed a desire for the revitalization of Africatown.
The discovery of the Clotilda has historical importance and is a story that needs to be told for its impact on African Americans.
The descendants of Timothy Mayer, who enslaved the Africans, still own a significant portion of land in Africatown.
Mike Foster, a distant cousin of the Clotilda's captain, has apologized for his ancestor's actions.
The state plans to build a Welcome Center in Africatown to attract tourism and potentially aid in community restoration.
Transcripts
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