Africatown

Minnie and Curtis are siblings who sat down at StoryCorps to discuss the historic town of Plateau, Alabama. The two also talk about Mobile County Training School and how it influenced their lives.

Darron Patterson talks to new friend Franchesca Pena at StoryCorps about how his ancestors came to Africatown, the history of the Clotilda, and how he sees racist ideologies of the past still impacting our society today.

The last known U.S. slave ship is too "broken" and decayed to be extracted from the murky waters of the Alabama Gulf Coast without being dismembered, a task force of archaeologists, engineers and historians announced following a years long investigation.

In this edition of StoryCorps, Wayne Curtis speaks with his wife about his drumming business in Mobile. They discuss the importance of teaching drumming to young people, how it can positively impact mental health and the historical significance of Africatown drumming.

City officials are seeking public opinion on exterior finishes, wall coverings and other design elements that can be incorporated inside the building. A community survey has been released for residents to share their thoughts. It will close this Friday.

The City of Mobile is working to bring history to life. The History Museum of Mobile has collaborated with the County Commission to build an exhibit about the Clotilda. The Clotilda is the last known slave ship to bring Africans to the United States.

To continue gathering public input on the design of the future Africatown Welcome Center, the City of Mobile and its design partners have launched an online survey and feedback form for residents in the Africatown community and other Mobilians.

The City of Mobile will hold a public meeting on Thursday, April 6 in Africatown for input on the design of a planned welcome center. design concepts, such as form, flow, architecture and environment. It's planned for 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Robert Hope Community Center.

Alabama Public Radio has been spotlighting the history of the slave ship Clotilda all throughout February for Black History Month. Africatown in the Plateau community in Mobile was established by some of the one hundred and twenty two kidnapped Africans brought over aboard the Clotilda in 1860. There’s now a new effort to use old traditions to tell the story of the last slave ship to come to America.

The Alabama Public Radio news team was recently invited to take part in a public discussion on slavery in the state. News director Pat Duggins was joined on stage by William Green. He’s a member of the Clotilda Descendants Association.