Africatown Heritage House ranks among top 10 best museums in US
By Ahniaelyah Spraggs
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MOBILE, Alabama (WALA) — Africatown Heritage House in Mobile has received even more national recognition.
In a remarkable achievement, Africatown Heritage House has been ranked one of the top 10 best new museums in the United States as per the latest ranking by USA Today. The museum, which opened its doors in July, houses “Clotilda: The Exhibition,” an immersive journey into the lives of 110 slaves forcibly brought to Mobile aboard the “Clotilda”, the last known slave ship to arrive in the United States.
Inside the 2,500 square foot museum, there are survival stories, actual artifacts from the 86-foot-long ship, newspaper articles detailing the ship’s landing, and much more.
Jessica Fairley, the Manager of Africatown Heritage House, expressed her excitement,” It’s a wonderful experience… it really shows the Africatown story is worth of worldwide recognition.”
When asked about the unique aspects that contributed to this recognition, Fairley emphasized the power of the story of Africatown itself.
“It’s something that people in the community knew about for a long time and now the world is learning more about,” Fairley adds.
Adding a creative touch to the Africatown narrative, Terrence Spivey, an independent contractor, guest, writer, and director, discussed an upcoming play that will be held outside museum. Titled “Circles In The Water: An Africatown Story,” the play will kick off with “Zora’s Last Visit,” a piece exploring a conversation between author Zora Neale Hurston and Cudjo Lewis, one of the last adult survivors aboard the Clotilda.
“It feels like I’m going back into a very important part of our time — The Black Arts movement,” said Spivey.
The play is scheduled for Jan. 13 at 2 p.m. right outside the museum. Seats are limited, with only 40 available, and attendance is free. This play marks the beginning of a monthly series set for the second Saturday of each month throughout the year, excluding next month due to Mardi Gras celebrations.
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