From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Bradley Byrne (R-AL) issued the following statement following the announcement of the discovery of the wreckage of the Clotilda, the last ship to deliver enslaved Africans to the United States, in the Mobile River channel near Africatown.
“This is a significant day for the people of Africatown but also for Alabama and our nation,” said Byrne. “We should seize upon this opportunity to help us better understand our complex American history. Harry Truman wisely said ‘the only thing new in the world is the history you do not know.’ Let’s use the discovery of the Clotildato learn more about our history so we can discuss how best we can move forward together.”
Many current Africatown residents are descendants of enslaved Africans forcibly brought to the United States aboard the Clotilda, including those later freed following the Civil War. The site of the Clotilda wreckage, sought by historians and scientists for many years, is located in Rep. Byrne’s Southwest Alabama district.