MOBILE, Ala. – As part of Black History Month, the Mobile Chamber’s Growth Alliance Task Force (GATF) welcomed Jessica Fairley, manager of the Africatown Heritage House and representative of the History Museum of Mobile, for an in-depth update on Africatown’s history, ongoing preservation efforts and future developments.

Fairley’s presentation, “Africatown U.S.A.: The History, Community & Key Players,” provided members with a powerful look at the story of Africatown — the community founded by survivors of the Clotilda, the last known slave ship to enter the United States.

A Community Founded in Resilience

The Africatown Historic District, established in the 1980s, marks the settlement built by the Clotilda survivors following emancipation. In 1870, several survivors, including Charlee and Maggie Lewis, pooled their money to purchase land known as Lewis Quarters from their former enslaver for $200. That land became the foundation of what is now Africatown.

Fairley highlighted key figures such as Cudjo Lewis (Kossola), Sally “Redoshi” Smith, Matilda “Abake” McCrear, Peter Lee “Gumpa” and others whose legacy continues to shape the community today.

The Africatown Heritage House, home to Clotilda: The Exhibition, serves as a central place of learning and remembrance. Through guided and self-guided tours, field trips and community programming, visitors can connect directly with the history and the descendants who continue to preserve it.

Preservation of the Clotilda

Fairley also shared updates regarding the Clotilda wreck site. An August 2024 report determined that raising the ship is not feasible due to severely compromised structural integrity. Instead, preservation efforts will focus on:

• In-place preservation to protect archaeological integrity
• Reburial with sediment to create a low-oxygen environment and slow deterioration
• Physical protection through markers and pilings to prevent damage

Archaeologists have confirmed that while fragile, the wreck retains significant archaeological value and will continue to provide insight through careful scientific study.

Africatown Welcome Center Update

Fairley also provided an update on the new Africatown Welcome Center, a transformational project for the community and a significant investment in heritage tourism and economic development. Ground was broken on the facility in May 2025, and construction is now more than 50% complete. The $4.6 million project, funded through the RESTORE Act, is anticipated to open in 2026.

Once complete, the Welcome Center will serve as a gateway for visitors from across the country and around the world who come to learn about Africatown’s history, the legacy of the Clotilda and the enduring impact of its descendants. The center is expected to enhance the visitor experience, support continued preservation efforts and further position Africatown as an essential cultural and historical destination in Mobile.

Ways to Learn More

Fairley encouraged attendees and the broader community to continue learning and engaging with Africatown through a variety of resources and experiences:

Visit

• Clotilda: The Exhibition at Africatown Heritage House
• Africatown Heritage House
• Old Plateau Africatown Cemetery
• Union Baptist Church
• Mobile County Training School
• Lewis Landing UNESCO Middle Passage Port Marker
• Dora Franklin Finley African American Heritage Trail

Tours & Events

• Africatown Freedom Tours at Blakeley State Park
• Heritage Lecture Series
• Landing Event and Ancestor Festival

Organizations & Community Groups

• Africatown Redevelopment Corporation
• Africatown Historic Preservation Foundation
• Clotilda Descendants Association

• H.E.S.S. (Clean, Healthy, Educated, Safe & Sustainable)
• Africatown Community Development Organization
• Mobile Environmental Justice Action Coalition
• Africatown Community Teach and Outreach
• All Things Africatown
• Africatown Plateau Pacers (Health is Wealth)
• O.V.E. (Making Opportunities Viable for Everyone)
• Mobile County Training School Alumni Association
• Africatown Business Panel
• Last Out Foundation
• Robert Hope Community Center
• Africatown Heritage House

Read & Watch
Documentaries including:

• “Decendant” Netflix
• “Clotilda: The Return Home” Disney Plus
• “The Order of Myths” Netflix
• “Afrikan by of American” Youtube
• “Clotilda: Last American Slave Ship” National Geographic

Recommended books include:

• Africatown by Nick Tabor
• African Town by Irene Latham
• Dreams of Africa in Alabama by Sylviane Diouf
• Clotilda by James Delgado
• The Survivors of the Clotilda by Hannah Durkin
• The Last Slave Ship by Ben Raines

The Mobile Public Library also maintains Clotilda archives for continued research and study.

As Black History Month reminds us, Africatown is not only a story of the past. It is a living, evolving community whose history continues to shape Mobile’s identity.