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Spirit of Our Ancestors: A Book Review by Dr. Hannah Durkin
January 31, 6:00 pm—7:30 pm
The public is cordially invited to attend a special presentation during the annual Spirit of Our Ancestors Festival for Africatown Descendants on Wednesday, January 31st, at the Historic Avenue Cultural Center.
British historian Dr. Durkin — who holds a Ph.D. in American Studies from the University of Nottingham and specializes in transatlantic slavery and African diasporic art and culture — published research in 2020 on the captivating lives of two African women from the Clotilda, Sally Smith (African name “Rodishi”) and Matilda McCrear. Both of the women outlived Cudjo.
Dr. Durkin’s continued research led to the discovery of other survivors, who are also outlined in her 2024 book, The Survivors of the Clotilda: The Lost Stories of the Last Captives of the American Slave Trade.
Doors open at 5:30 pm.
