About this property
Africatown , also known as AfricaTown USA and Plateau , is a historic community located three miles (5 km) north of downtown Mobile, Alabama. It was formed by a group of 32 West Africans, who in 1860 were bought and transported against their will in the last known illegal shipment of slaves to the United States. The Atlantic slave trade had been banned since 1808, but 110 slaves held by the Kingdom of Dahomey were smuggled into Mobile on the Clotilda , which was burned and scuttled to try to conceal its illicit cargo. More than 30 of these people, believed to be ethnic Yoruba, Ewe, and Fon, founded and created their own community in what became Africatown. They retained their West African customs and language into the 1950s, while their children and some elders also learned English.
Location
Federal Designation
The National Register of Historic Places, administered by the National Park Service, is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical, architectural, archaeological, engineering, or cultural significance. Listing on the National Register recognizes a property's importance to American history but does not place restrictions on private owners; it does, however, make properties eligible for federal historic preservation tax incentives and enables consideration in federal planning decisions. This property is recorded in the National Register under reference number 12000990. It was listed on December 4, 2012.
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Nearby Battles
Questions about this property
When was Africatown Historic District listed on the National Register?
Africatown Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 4, 2012.
What type of historic resource is Africatown Historic District?
Africatown Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Africatown Historic District?
The period of significance for Africatown Historic District is recorded as the early_republic era, specifically around 1808.
Can I research the history near Africatown Historic District?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Africatown Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near Africatown Historic District will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.