What is the Clotilda you may ask? If you don't know, the Clotilda was the last slave ship to arrive in the United States and it landed on the shores of Mobile Bay and was then burned by it's captain in the murky waters of the Tensaw Delta. Discovered in May 2019, the ship is too fragile to be raised from the mud. thus, a team of local, state and national leaders are working together to tell the story of the Clotilda and it's descendants.
In addition to telling the story of the last slave ship, Clotilda: The Exhibition will include over a dozen Clotilda artifacts, recovered from the shipwreck in the Mobile River and on loan from the Alabama Historical Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office.
Drawing on the archaeological reports released by the Alabama Historical Commission, Clotilda: The Exhibition tells the stories of the Clotilda and Africatown in the context of slavery and maritime shipping along the Gulf Coast. It includes the histories of the final journey of the Clotilda, the settlement and history of Africatown, and the discovery of the sunken schooner, all through a combination of interpretive text panels, documents, and artifacts.
Proceeds from Fizzi Fest 2021 will benefit the History Museum's efforts to develop the exhibit which will be housed in the Africatown Heritage House. Members of the History Museum's staff will be on hand at Fizzi Fest to highlight the work that has been done and is to come. In addition to learning more about the Clotilda exhibit, the Museum's current exhibits will be open to all attendees - including A History of Mobile in 22 Objects and the Egyptian Mummies and Eternal Life exhibits.
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