Uncovering the truth behind the last known slave ship to reach the U.S.

  • The discovery of the Clotilda wreck in Mobile, Alabama brought global attention
  • Retired journalist Erik Calonius questions the authenticity of the Clotilda
  • The Clotilda narrative holds that it smuggled enslaved Africans to Mobile in 1860
  • Calonius argues that there is little documentation to support the Clotilda story
  • The Alabama Historical Commission and other experts stand by the authenticity of the wreck

The discovery of the Clotilda wreck in Mobile, Alabama five years ago made headlines around the world. It was believed to be the last known slave ship to reach U.S. shores, defying a ban on slave imports. However, retired journalist Erik Calonius has raised doubts about the authenticity of the Clotilda. He argues that there is little documentation to support the Clotilda narrative and suggests that it may be a folk tale that has been embraced as history. This controversy has left many Black people who believed they were descendants of the Clotilda voyage grappling with uncertainty about their origins. While the Alabama Historical Commission and other experts stand by the authenticity of the wreck, Calonius’s research highlights the tenuous nature of historical narratives, particularly concerning the brutal era of American slavery.·

Factuality Level: 3
Factuality Justification: The article presents conflicting viewpoints on the historical narrative of the Clotilda slave ship, with one researcher questioning its existence and others defending its authenticity. It provides detailed information about the history of the Clotilda, the skepticism surrounding its story, and the efforts to verify its identity. However, the article lacks a clear resolution or conclusive evidence to definitively determine the truth, leaving the reader with uncertainty about the accuracy of the historical account.·
Noise Level: 3
Noise Justification: The article provides a detailed analysis of the controversy surrounding the identity of the Clotilda slave ship, including perspectives from different researchers and historians. It questions the established narrative and presents conflicting evidence, offering a thought-provoking discussion on the historical accuracy of the story.·
Key People: Erik Calonius (Retired journalist and author), Darron Patterson (Former head of the Clotilda Descendants Association), Timothy Meaher (Mobile businessman), William Foster (Captain of the Clotilda), Cudjo Lewis (Resident of Africatown), Booker T. Washington (Black educator), Ben Raines (Son of former New York Times Executive Editor), John Sledge (Historian in Mobile), James Delgado (Senior Vice President of Search Inc.), Jeremy Ellis (President of the Clotilda Descendants Association), Sylviane Diouf (Black historian)

Financial Relevance: No
Financial Markets Impacted: No
Financial Rating Justification: This article does not pertain to financial topics and does not impact financial markets or companies. It is a historical and cultural discussion about the Clotilda ship and its significance in relation to American slavery.·
Presence Of Extreme Event: No
Nature Of Extreme Event: No
Impact Rating Of The Extreme Event: No
Extreme Rating Justification: ·

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