Fulfilling Survivors' Dream (Full Episode) | Clotilda: The Return Home | National Geographic

The Return: A Journey to Honor Ancestors and Heal Historical Wounds

Key Concepts:

• Clotilda: The last known slave ship to arrive in the United States (1860), carrying 110 captive Africans.
• Africatown: A community founded in Mobile, Alabama, by the survivors of the Clotilda, maintaining African culture and traditions.
• Diving With a Purpose: A non-profit organization dedicated to locating and documenting slave shipwrecks.
• Reverse Journey: The act of descendants of enslaved people returning to their ancestral lands in Africa.
• Egungun Ceremony: A West African tradition invoking the spirits of ancestors for remembrance and blessings.
• Barracoon: Outdoor stockades used to hold captured Africans before being loaded onto slave ships.
• Dahomey: A historical kingdom in present-day Benin, involved in the slave trade.
• Kossola Oluale (Cudjo Lewis): A survivor of the Clotilda and a key figure in the founding of Africatown.
• Gumpa: A royal prince from the Dahomey kingdom who was also a survivor of the Clotilda and a leader in Africatown.

I. The Genesis of a Journey: Connecting to a Lost Past

The documentary follows Altevese Rosario, Garry Lumbers, Cassandra Lewis, and Delisha Marshall, descendants of survivors of the Clotilda, the last documented slave ship to arrive in the United States in 1860. Their journey is a deeply personal and historical undertaking: to return ancestral soil to West Africa, specifically Benin, for the first time in over a century. Tara Roberts narrates the journey, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the humanity of those enslaved – they were not merely “cargo” or statistics, but individuals with rich lives, families, and cultures. Approximately 36,000 voyages transported 12.5 million Africans to the Americas, a staggering figure representing immense suffering and loss. The Clotilda is unique as it is the only ship found intact, offering a tangible link to this horrific history. Roberts highlights the power of connecting to the past, inspired by the strength shown by the Clotilda descendants she met.

II. Africatown: A Legacy of Resilience and Cultural Preservation

The story centers around Kossola Oluale (renamed Cudjo Lewis) and Gumpa, two key figures aboard the Clotilda. Kossola, 19 years old at the time of his capture, and 109 other Africans were subjected to the brutal system of chattel slavery in Mobile, Alabama, for nearly five years before emancipation in 1865. Their immediate desire was to return home, but rising ticket prices made this impossible. Instead, they purchased land from their former enslaver and established Africatown – the first town in the United States founded, controlled, and continuously occupied by African Americans. This community served as a vital space for preserving their culture, memories, and traditions. Cudjo Lewis, the last male survivor of the Clotilda, passed down his life story and a hand-drawn map indicating the path home to his descendants. Cassandra Lewis recounts her grandfather’s insistence on repeating the ship’s name and year of arrival, ensuring the story wouldn’t be forgotten despite the lack of official documentation.

III. The Ritual of Return: Soil, Ancestors, and Tradition

The journey begins at the monument of Kossola Oluale in Mobile, where Altevese Rosario collects soil representing her ancestor, intending to take it back to Benin. The ancestral home was near the kingdom of Dahomey (modern-day Benin). The act of taking soil is rooted in African tradition, where women are responsible for gathering and men for giving, symbolizing a connection to the land and ancestors. Delisha Marshall, a descendant of Gumpa, a royal prince aboard the Clotilda, also participates, carrying soil from Gumpa’s chimney – the last remaining structure from the early days of Africatown. This act is not merely symbolic; it’s a spiritual undertaking to fulfill the long-held wish of their ancestors to return home.

IV. Confronting Complex Histories: The Dahomey Kingdom and the Slave Trade

The journey leads the descendants to Abomey, the former capital of the Dahomey kingdom. They meet with the current king and a descendant of King Glele, who ruled during the time of Kossola and Gumpa’s capture. This encounter is fraught with tension when the king initially denies the Dahomey kingdom’s involvement in the slave trade, claiming they merely “sold” people for work, not slavery. Altevese Rosario powerfully challenges this narrative, expressing outrage at the denial of her ancestor’s forced removal and the erasure of his suffering. This confrontation highlights the complexities of historical accountability and the importance of acknowledging the full truth, even when uncomfortable. The king later clarifies his position, acknowledging the horrors of the slave trade and expressing a desire for reconciliation.

V. Spiritual Connection and Ancestral Remembrance

Throughout the journey, the descendants participate in several rituals designed to connect with their ancestors. They visit the Tree of Return in Ouidah, where enslaved Africans would walk around the tree three times to leave a part of their soul behind. They participate in an Egungun ceremony, a West African dance tradition that invokes the spirits of ancestors. They read the names of Clotilda survivors aloud, honoring their memory and acknowledging their individual stories. Delisha Marshall places soil from Gumpa’s chimney in the palace, fulfilling his wish to return home. These rituals are deeply emotional and transformative, fostering a sense of belonging and healing.

VI. The Unveiling of a Legacy: A Statue in Benin

The culmination of the journey is the unveiling of a statue of Cudjo Lewis in Benin, a gift from the town of Bantè. The statue serves as a permanent reminder of his life, his suffering, and his enduring legacy. The descendants express profound gratitude and a sense of homecoming, feeling embraced by the community and connected to their ancestors.

VII. A Call to Reckoning, Healing, and Restoration

Tara Roberts concludes by emphasizing the universal nature of this story. The journey is not just about the descendants of the Clotilda; it’s about all of us confronting our shared history and working towards healing and restoration. She believes that knowing one’s history provides strength and confidence, and that this work is essential for creating a more just and equitable future. The documentary underscores the importance of remembering the humanity of those enslaved, honoring their resilience, and acknowledging the lasting impact of slavery on both Africa and the Americas.

Notable Quotes:

• Tara Roberts: “This is all of our history. And that just feels really powerful to me.”
• Cassandra Lewis (regarding her father’s insistence on remembering the Clotilda): “He say, 'They think we don't know what we saying because we don't have proof of a ship,' he say, 'but it's out there, and you always remember.'"
• Altevese Rosario (after the encounter with the king): “Is the King saying my ancestor was not sold into slavery?”
• Delisha Marshall: “Both sides need to take ownership. So I'm equally mad at Glele and people like him who enslave their own.”

Data and Statistics:

• Approximately 36,000 voyages brought 12.5 million Africans to the Americas.
• 1.8 million Africans died during the Middle Passage (the crossing from Africa to the Americas).
• The Clotilda arrived in 1860, decades after the U.S. had outlawed the importation of enslaved people.

Technical Terms:

• Chattel Slavery: A system where humans are treated as personal property.
• Middle Passage: The sea journey undertaken by enslaved Africans, primarily to the Americas.
• Barracoon: A temporary enclosure for holding captured Africans before being transported.
• Egungun: A West African tradition involving masked dancers representing ancestral spirits.
• Fon: A language spoken in Benin.
• Bon: Another language spoken in Benin.

This journey is more than a historical expedition; it’s a testament to the enduring power of memory, the resilience of the human spirit, and the ongoing quest for healing and reconciliation.