POWERGRAMS

21 story told in Mobile museum "rough the exhibit, we will be highlighting the people from the Clotilda and telling as many of their individual stories as we possibly can," Fowler said. "We want to let their voices shine through as they tell their own stories." Long-buried ship comes to light e old story of the Clotilda rose out of the water once again in 2019 when a shipwreck was discovered in the Mobile River. en, in early 2020, Mobile County Commissioner Merceria Ludgood launched a joint effort between Mobile County and the city of Mobile to build the Africatown Heritage House as a permanent home for artifacts from the Clotilda and the community. When it opens, the 5,000-square-foot building will include an entrance porch, lobby, exhibit hall, conference room and offices. Its exterior will be finished with lap siding painted in colors selected to honor the strength and perseverance of the Clotilda occupants and their descendants. e exhibition will highlight the people and their stories through interpretative text panels, documents and artifacts that represent west African culture and customs. ere will be recorded oral histories that have been produced from the written documentation. Fragments of the Clotilda that scientists used to confirm its authenticity will be housed underwater in specially designed tanks, Fowler said. "ese fragments of wood and iron have been underwater for so many years that if they are removed, they would dissolve very quickly," Fowler said. "By keeping the pieces underwater and monitoring the pH levels, we are able to ensure that the fragments remain stable." Visitors will also enjoy an outdoor memorial garden. e centerpiece will be a sculpture conceived and designed by renowned potter, Charles Smith, in collaboration with metal artist Frank Ledbetter. e statue will pay homage to the captives on the Clotilda. "e Heritage House will be a vessel that will house remnants of the ship, Clotilda, but more significantly, it will allow us to share an American story that is uniquely documented within the Africatown community," Ludgood said. "Many people spent lifetimes keeping the Africatown story alive, with much of that work done in difficult times when their history was diminished or even treated like a myth. It is important because it is emblematic of the thousands of unnamed ships that traversed the middle passage with human cargo intended for enslavement, and the millions of resulting stories that remain untold." Patterson, who lived in Africatown as a child, takes great pride in the community his great-great-grandfather helped create and is thrilled that its founders' stories are finally being told. He attributes his success today to the determination passed down from those long-ago ancestors. Patterson is a technical writer at Airbus and was the first African American sportswriter for the Mobile Press-Register. "I love that place," said Patterson, of Africatown. "It's what got me to where I am and who I am today." Ludgood said the Heritage House has been a collaborative effort. Mobile County is building the facility and will cover operational costs for a limited time, while the History Museum will oversee the day-to-day management of the exhibition. Other partners include the Alabama Historical Commission, the city of Mobile and organizations within the Africatown community, along with the Clotilda Descendants Association. "ere is tremendous worldwide interest in the Africatown story, and the community is rallying to be prepared," Ludgood said. "e Heritage House will be a keystone for Africatown. It will help preserve Africatown's unique story, revitalize the community and share its rich cultural heritage with people across the globe who recognize its special place in our nation's history." By Carla Davis Workers setting up exhibits inside new Africatown Heritage House. PHOTO BY DAN ANDERSON

• Cover