Join us in Gee’s Bend for a special panel discussion featuring
Clotilda descendants from Africatown and Gee’s Bend, Alabama.
This intimate panel will take place at the Gee’s Bend Welcome Center against the backdrop of the exhibition Between History & Memory: Dinah Miller’s Legacy in Gee’s Bend, which explores the legacy of the first known named Gee's Bend quiltmaker and Clotilda survivor, Dinah Miller.
Co-organized by Souls Grown Deep and Africatown Heritage House, the symposium will also include a presentation on tourism initiatives in Africatown. Representatives from Clotilda: The Exhibition, Africatown Freedom Tours, and the Dora Franklin Finley African-American Heritage Trail will share opportunities to explore the historic Africatown community through authentic, place-based experiences.
Sunday, May 3, 2026 2:30 – 4:30 pm
Advanced registration is required.
Suggested donation: $15 per person
FEATURED QUILT BY MARY VIRGINIA PETTWAY
Schedule of Events
2:30 PM • Curator’s Welcome & Exhibition Tour
Emma Yau, Assistant Curator at Souls Grown Deep, will open the program with a welcome and guided introduction to Between History & Memory: Dinah Miller’s Legacy in Gee’s Bend.
3:00–4:00 PM • Clotilda Descendants Panel Discussion
Moderated by Jessica Fairley, Manager of the Africatown Heritage House, this panel brings together descendants of Clotilda survivors from Africatown and Gee’s Bend. Panelists will share personal histories, family legacies, and reflections on the enduring cultural connections between the two communities.
4:00–4:30 PM • Tourism Symposium: Africatown Initiatives
Representatives from leading Africatown organizations—including Clotilda: The Exhibition, Africatown Freedom Tours, and the Dora Franklin Finley African-American Heritage Trail—will present on current tourism initiatives and opportunities to engage with Africatown through meaningful, place-based experiences.
Meet the Panelists
Jessica Fairley (Moderator) serves as Manager of Clotilda: The Exhibition at the Africatown Heritage House, where she leads efforts to preserve, interpret, and share the history of Africatown and the descendants of the Clotilda survivors. She was part of the team recognized by the Southern Public Relations Federation with a Lantern Award for Media Relations following the museum’s opening in 2023. Fairley develops programming and visitor experiences that center community voices and deepen public engagement, contributing to the museum’s national recognition. She holds a master’s degree in communication arts and serves on several boards in Africatown and Mobile.
Emma Yau is Assistant Curator at Souls Grown Deep (SGD) and the lead curator of Between History & Memory: Dinah Miller’s Legacy in Gee’s Bend. She holds a BA in History from the University of Cambridge and an MA in Arts and Cultural Management from King's College London and, prior to joining SGD in 2022, completed a curatorial internship with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture’s Center for the Study of Global Slavery.
Eric F. Finley is a fourth-generation native of Mobile, Alabama, with family roots in the community dating back to 1870. He serves as a Tour Director and storyteller for the Dora Franklin Finley African-American Heritage Trail, where he shares the history of Africatown and the City of Mobile. He is also the President and CEO of Bring Your Own Books (BYOB), an initiative dedicated to promoting literacy and education. A graduate of Xavier University and the University of Southern Mississippi, Finley is actively engaged in civic and cultural organizations and contributes to ongoing efforts to preserve and interpret African American history in Mobile.
Joycelyn M. Davis is a descendant of Charlie and Maggie Lewis, survivors of the Clotilda, the last known illegal slave ship to arrive in the United States. A dedicated storyteller, she shares her family’s history and the legacy of Africatown through tours and public presentations. Her work centers on connecting audiences to the lived experiences and enduring resilience of the founders of Africatown.
Chiquitta Clemons-Howard is a Mobile native, entrepreneur, and community leader whose work spans Africatown, Mobile, Prichard, and surrounding areas. As the operator of multiple businesses, she is committed to creating economic opportunity while supporting the long-term sustainability of historically significant communities. Deeply invested in preserving and sharing African American history, she advocates for the recognition of Africatown’s cultural legacy through education, storytelling, and community engagement. Her leadership reflects a strong commitment to cultural preservation and community empowerment.
Patricia A. Frazier, known as Pat, is a Mobile, Alabama native and a descendant of Clotilda survivor Lottie “Kanko” Dennison. She holds a B.A. in Economics from Talladega College and advanced degrees in economics and applied economics from Northwestern University and Clemson University. Over a career spanning more than 30 years, she held academic positions at several historically Black colleges and universities, with research supported by organizations including the Ford Foundation, National Science Foundation, and USAID. Now retired, she remains active in the Clotilda Descendants Association and continues to support efforts to preserve Africatown’s history and legacy.
Darron Patterson is an Africatown native, an award-winning journalist, and a descendant of Clotilda survivor Kupollee. He was the first Black sportswriter at the Mobile Press Register and a four-time Associated Press award winner, later contributing to USA Today and The Detroit News. A graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso, he has served as Director of Communications for the City of Detroit and currently works as a Senior Technical Writer at Airbus Defense and Space. Patterson remains active in civic and cultural organizations and is a lifetime member of the Clotilda Descendants Association.
Dr. Angelia Bendolph, founder of Dinah’s Legacy, is an independent scholar and public humanities practitioner whose work centers on African American heritage, memory, and legacy. A descendant of Clotilda survivor Dinah Miller, she maintains deep connections to both Africatown and Gee’s Bend, approaching her work as both a researcher and steward of generational knowledge. She has contributed to initiatives including the NEH Landmarks Africatown program, Teach Africatown, and the Mobile County Commission Civil Rights history project. Dr. Bendolph is the Immediate Past President of the Mobile Branch of ASALH and a lifetime member of the Clotilda Descendants Association.
Tiffany Blakely is a descendant of Clotilda survivor Ar’zuma Livingston and serves as a tour educator at the Africatown Heritage House. Through her work, she shares the history of Africatown and the legacy of the Clotilda with visitors from around the world. With a background in psychology, business management, and accounting, she brings both insight and care to her role as an educator and community advocate. Blakely is also the founder of the GiGi Foundation, which provides essential items for children in honor of her late daughter, continuing a legacy of service grounded in family and community.
Emmett Lewis Sr., Emmett Lewis Sr. is a Marine Corps combat veteran, Africatown native, and a direct descendant of Clotilda survivor, Cudjo Kazoola Lewis. He was featured in the critically acclaimed documentary Descendant and continues to share the history and legacy of Africatown through storytelling grounded in his family’s deep ancestral connection to the Clotilda.
Johnny Crear, 89, is one of two living grandchildren of Matilda Crear (McCrear), the longest-living survivor of the transatlantic slave trade and the youngest person trafficked aboard the Clotilda, the last known slave ship to enter the United States. A resident of Selma, Alabama, Crear was just three years old when his grandmother passed in 1940. Today, he serves as a proud spokesperson for his family’s legacy, sharing this history across generations.
Sunday, May 3, 2026 • 2:30 – 4:30 pm
In-person and online
Suggested donation: $15 per person
Frequently Asked Questions
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This event is open to the public, and there is no fixed ticket price. Instead, we invite guests to contribute a suggested donation at registration.
All donations directly support the work of Visit Gee’s Bend and the Africatown Heritage House, both registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. Proceeds will be shared between both organizations to help sustain ongoing cultural programming, preservation efforts, and community-based initiatives.
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Yes. Pre-registration is required for all attendees, including both in-person and virtual participants.
In-person attendance is limited to 50 guests
Virtual attendance is limited to 100 participants
We encourage early registration, as space is limited and expected to fill quickly.
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Yes. Due to anticipated interest and limited capacity within the River Gallery, all attendees—including Gee’s Bend community members—are asked to register in advance.
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The River Gallery at the Gee’s Bend Welcome Center
1172 County Road 29
Boykin, AL 36723 -
For additional information or assistance, please contact:
Carly Schnur | carly@visitgeesbend.org
Presented in partnership with
