A Message from Mayor Stimpson - July 9th
Jul 9th, 2020
Good evening,
It is 9 p.m. on Thursday, July 9 and I am writing to give you an update on the City of Mobile's efforts regarding COVID-19.
As of tonight, there have been 4,444 total confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Mobile County, an increase of 99 since Wednesday. There are 313 who have been hospitalized to date, and 141 people have died due to Coronavirus. A total of 2,302 are presumed recovered.
This morning I participated in an online town hall meeting hosted by AL.com to talk about our efforts in response to the COVID pandemic. Click here to watch a recap of our conversation.
Today is an important anniversary in our community. 160 years ago today, on July 9, 1860, the schooner Clotilda arrived in Mobile Bay. The ship was carrying 110 people who were taken from their homes in Africa and smuggled into Alabama as slaves.
This shameful and illegal act is a painful part of our history, and the Clotilda is remembered as the last known slave ship to enter the U.S. In recent years, the wreckage of the Clotilda was discovered in Mobile Bay, not far from the Africatown community where many of the descendants continue to reside.
Efforts are underway to build a new visitor's center in Africatown, and to create a memorial for the Clotilda. There are challenges in Africatown, which has suffered from neglect and poverty for decades. But a new vision is emerging, and for the first time in generations there is hope for the future.
Yes, the story of the Clotilda is a painful one. But it is also inspirational. The unique aspect of this story is the perseverance and resilience of the people of Africatown. It is that spirit - that perseverance and resilience - that must be the foundation of our future. We will embrace the story of Africatown. We won't run from it. We will tell this story to the world.
I encourage you to learn more about the Clotilda story, and to join our efforts to find creative ways to link our history with a brighter future for all of our citizens.