ben raines

Cudjo Lewis was a captive aboard the Clotilda when it entered Mobile Harbor, the last slave boat to the United States in 1860. The story was well known to locals in Mobile but two writers, Emma Langdon Roche and Zora Neale Hurston, went to find Cudjo and tell their version of his story. Over 80 years later, Ben Raines would find the remains of the Clotilda and bring the story to light again. 

Support the Podcast

The podcast is free but it’s not cheap. If you enjoy Alabama Short Stories, there are a few ways you can support us.

1. Tell a friend about the podcast.
2. Buy some merchandise from the Art Done Wright store at https://www.teepublic.com/user/wright-art
3. Buy Volume 1 of the Book. https://www.amazon.com/Alabama-Short-Stories-Shawn-Wright/dp/1735582239/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1660505378&sr=8-3
4. Buy the newly released Volume 2 of the Book.
5. Want to support your local book store? You can do that by purchasing through Bookshop.org which gives back to local book store.

You can listen to the podcast on the website or wherever you prefer to listen and subscribe to podcasts.

This is a companion to my episode on the Clotilda; join me as I discuss Ben Raines' stunning The Last Slave Ship, which recounts the ship's entire history as well as how he himself found it under just 20 feet of water at Twelve Mile Island, near Mobile, Alabama. I discuss all the ways in which the issues and debates surrounding Clotilda are insanely relevant to our everyday lives, American history, southern history, African American history. The ship may be raised. Museums are in the works. Descendants of the ship's survivors are on the ground working to commemorate the journey of their ancestors. The story of Clotilda is BEING WRITTEN still.

Please visit the Clotilda Descendants' website for updates (and consider donating if you're able): https://theclotildastory.com

Follow the Descendants' Association on Insta: https://www.instagram.com/clotildadescendantsassociation/

And follow author Ben Raines as well: https://www.instagram.com/brraines/

To purchase The Last Slave Ship or any book mentioned, consider supporting the pod and independent bookstores through this link: https://bookshop.org/shop/unsinkablepod

And to support the pod on Patreon (thank you!): https://www.patreon.com/unsinkablepod

Support Unsinkable on Patreon for as little as $1/month: https://www.patreon.com/unsinkablepod

Or buy me a coffee!: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/labeadles

Buy Unsinkable shirts here!: https://www.bonfire.com/unsinkable-the-first-t-shirt/

Support the pod via my Bookshop Storefront: https://bookshop.org/shop/unsinkablepod

Find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unsinkablepod/
Website: https://www.unsinkablepod.com

Join me in this, my very first side project episode, a look at the overwhelmingly important historical, cultural, and political impact of Clotilda, the last known American ship to bring slaves from Africa as part of the Atlantic slave trade. The shipwreck was located just a few years ago and its future raises some important questions. Clotilda is an American story, a global story, that you absolutely must know. I was amazed too, despite what a different era I obviously researched here, how many both thematic and physical links there are in this story to Titanic. I want to thank Ben Raines for his work in the new book The Last Slave Ship, which is stunning and helped me solidify and amplify all my research. This book will be the subject of an upcoming April Book Club episode. You can buy it here: https://bookshop.org/books/the-last-slave-ship-the-true-story-of-how-clotilda-was-found-her-descendants-and-an-extraordinary-reckoning-9781982136048/9781982136048?aid=80949&listref=the-unsinkable-book-club

Follow the Clotilda Descendants' Association: https://www.instagram.com/clotildadescendantsassociation/

For a list of my sources for this episode please see my blog: https://www.unsinkablepod.com/blog

Here is the Family Ghosts Podcast series on the Clotilda: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-clotilda-legacy-part-1-the-descendants/id1217657323?i=1000458619235

And the African History Network episode as well: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-african-history-network-sh-39194/episodes/redoshi-was-the-last-known-sla-38915547

To support the pod on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/unsinkablepod

Support Unsinkable on Patreon for as little as $1/month: https://www.patreon.com/unsinkablepod

Or buy me a coffee!: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/labeadles

Buy Unsinkable shirts here!: https://www.bonfire.com/unsinkable-the-first-t-shirt/

Support the pod via my Bookshop Storefront: https://bookshop.org/shop/unsinkablepod

Find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unsinkablepod/
Website: https://www.unsinkablepod.com

Just popping in to let you all know what's coming this April on Unsinkable! Some exciting stuff up around the proverbial bend.

To buy April's book pick, support the pod and Bookshop here: https://bookshop.org/books/the-last-slave-ship-the-true-story-of-how-clotilda-was-found-her-descendants-and-an-extraordinary-reckoning-9781982136048/9781982136048?aid=80949&listref=the-unsinkable-book-club

As always, feel free to reach out to me via unsinkablepod@gmail.com or on Insta and Twitter @unsinkablepod!

To support the pod on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/unsinkablepod

Support Unsinkable on Patreon for as little as $1/month: https://www.patreon.com/unsinkablepod

Or buy me a coffee!: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/labeadles

Buy Unsinkable shirts here!: https://www.bonfire.com/unsinkable-the-first-t-shirt/

Support the pod via my Bookshop Storefront: https://bookshop.org/shop/unsinkablepod

Find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unsinkablepod/
Website: https://www.unsinkablepod.com

Some exciting announcements of upcoming Book Club picks and author conversations!

February 2022--Gareth Russell's Ship of Dreams
March 2022--Hazel Gaynor's The Girl Who Came Home

And looking ahead to April for a joint read--Ben Raines' The Last Slave Ship

You can buy any of these easily through my Bookshop link and support indie bookstores as well as the pod: https://bookshop.org/shop/unsinkablepod

Patreon Bonus episode posts Monday! If you can, join the Unsinkable VIPs here: https://www.patreon.com/unsinkablepod

Cheers! xLA

Support Unsinkable on Patreon for as little as $1/month: https://www.patreon.com/unsinkablepod

Or buy me a coffee!: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/labeadles

Buy Unsinkable shirts here!: https://www.bonfire.com/unsinkable-the-first-t-shirt/

Support the pod via my Bookshop Storefront: https://bookshop.org/shop/unsinkablepod

Find me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unsinkablepod/
Website: https://www.unsinkablepod.com