Africatown Tourism
Touring Africatown is more than a visit—it’s an immersion into one of the most profound stories of resilience, community, and cultural heritage in the United States. Located just north of downtown Mobile, Africatown was founded by the survivors of the Clotilda, the last known slave ship to enter the U.S. These brave men and women built a self-sustaining African community, preserving their language, governance, traditions, and unity long after emancipation.
A guided tour through Africatown takes you on a powerful journey across more than 23 historic sites that highlight the strength and legacy of the Clotilda survivors and their descendants. Guests begin at the Africatown Welcome Center, a modern storytelling hub that introduces visitors to the community’s origins and ongoing restoration. From there, tours often include sacred locations such as the Africatown Historic Cemetery, where many of the original founders are buried, and the Mobile County Training School, home of the Africatown Freedom Bell and the oldest continuously operating school in Alabama.
The experience continues through natural spaces like Hog Bayou, where descendants hunted, fished, and sustained their families for generations, as well as culturally significant sites such as Lewis Landing and the Cleon Jones Homestead, honoring the hometown baseball hero and community advocate.
Walking, riding, or boating through Africatown offers an unforgettable connection to history—one that is living, breathing, and still unfolding. Each stop on the tour invites reflection, education, and appreciation for a community that turned tragedy into triumph and preserved its identity against all odds.
A tour of Africatown is not just a trip—it's a story, a tribute, and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness American history where it happened.
