FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Susan Moss, Public
Relations Manager
susan.moss@ahc.alabama.gov, 334-230-2678
April 28, 2022
Exploration and Site Evaluation of Clotilda
(Montgomery, AL) Alabama
Historical Commission and Resolve Marine continue the Inspection of
Historically Important Site; Community Meeting, May 2, 2022, To Discuss
Exploration and Evaluation
Beginning May
2, 2022, Alabama Historical Commission (AHC) and Resolve Marine, a global
leader in emergency response, salvage, wreck, and marine services, will begin a
10-day exploration and evaluation of the shipwreck Clotilda. Under a
permit from the Corps of Engineers, this phase will include:
·
New
high-resolution sonar survey of Site 1BA704 (Clotilda).
·
Marine
geological study of the site.
·
Installation,
operation, and management of oceanographic meters at the site.
·
Biological
assessment of the site.
·
Structural
assessment of the wreck.
·
Limited maritime
archaeological excavation and collection
of wood samples for scientific analyses; and
·
Development of
a site conservation plan.
The safety of the divers as they complete this work and the protection
of the archaeological site during the exploration are top priorities. To
protect both divers and the archaeological site itself, a no boats zone has
been established in the Memorandum of Agreement with the U.S. Army of Corps
Engineers Mobile Site as a requirement of the permit.
This phase is
possible through a $1 (one) million-dollar appropriation from the State of
Alabama. These funds enable AHC to protect, preserve, and document Clotilda,
the last slave ship on record carrying enslaved people to America. “We
are grateful to our Governor and State Legislature for supporting this ongoing
process of exploration” said Dr. Jim Day, Chairman of the Alabama Historical
Commission. “The story of Clotilda and her passengers is compelling, and
this historic site continues to reveal crucial details about the past.” Day
continued, “This project has and continues to amass many partners, and the AHC
appreciates the investment of our lawmakers on behalf of the citizens of
Alabama.”
Lisa
D. Jones, State Historic Preservation Officer and Executive Director of AHC,
agrees that funding from the State is imperative to preserving this historic
discovery. “As the legal steward of the Clotilda archaeological site, the
Alabama Historical Commission has the responsibility to care for this unique
resource, which is direct, tangible evidence of slavery,” continued Jones. “The
Alabama Historical Commission recognizes that we have a tremendous duty to
ensure that this historic artifact survives to tell the story for future
generations.”
AHC will host a Community Meeting, May 2, 2022, 6:30 pm at Hope
Community Center, 850 Edwards Street, Mobile, AL 36610. AHC will address the
current exploration of Clotilda, introduce partners, and answer questions.
About the Alabama
Historical Commission
Located
in historic downtown Montgomery at 468 S. Perry
Street, the Alabama Historical Commission is the state historic preservation
agency for Alabama. The agency was created by an act of the state legislature
in 1966 with a mission to protect, preserve and interpret Alabama’s
historic places. AHC works to accomplish its mission through two fields of
endeavor: Preservation and promotion of state-owned historic sites as public
attractions; and statewide programs to assist people, groups, towns, and cities
with local preservation activities. For a complete list of programs and
properties owned and operated by the AHC, hours of operation, and admission
fees please visit ahc.alabama.gov ####