Wreckage from the Transatlantic Slave Trade ship “Clotilda” was reported to have been found in the Mobile River on news outlets across America in May of 2019. It was said to have been the last slave ship in the Transatlantic Slave Trade to be used to kidnap Negroes from Africa, store them as cargo inside the slave ship, “Clotilda” and force them to America (Mobile, Alabama) to work as slaves in 1860. These Negroes were used to help build up America and make America the wealthiest nation on earth. Some called it “The Ship of Horror.”

Hearing this surprising news brought back early memories of Jamie’s childhood, growing up in Mobile/Prichard, Alabama, during a time of extreme racism, poverty, hopelessness and despair. A fresh fire was birth in her spirit to search out her true identity, which led her to writing “In Search Of Who I Am - The Transatlantic Slave Trade.” I listened attentively as she recalled:

“I can remember being around four years old. My mother’s best friend lived in Magazine Point, which is now called Africatown. I remember the rows of shabby, wooden cabins connected together to provide minimal shelter for our people-- people who were nearly starved to death with little food and no money. Our short visit was to share what little food we had with my mother’s friend and her family. I remember stepping up on two small bricks that were being used as steps to get into a tiny, narrow room. One of the bricks was red, and was stacked on top of the other; and they were wobbly. I remember being afraid I would fall as I was trying to enter the narrow room. I can still remember the sad feeling in my heart as my mother and I were leaving. Even at the young age of four, I could feel the dreadful spirit of racism, poverty, hopelessness and despair, and that something was terribly wrong. Even today, at seventy-one years old, when I think of Magazine Point (Africatown) this is the first thing I remember about that city."