In 1957, Maersk designed the first container ship and transported 58 containers from New Jersey to Houston. Packed containers could then be loaded onto flatbed trucks. This saved much time and money as this eliminated offloading. Originally, the cost was $5.83 per ton. This ship reduced it to 15.3¢ per ton.
The largest container ship today is owned by Maersk and holds 14,500 containers.
The Clotilda Museum did not allow us to take pictures. The schooner Clotilda was the last known U.S. slave ship to bring African men, women, and children to the United States. One hundred ten slaves arrived illegally in 1860. In 1807, transatlantic slave trade was outlawed. Slaves were still bought and sold in the USA.
Clotilda is considered the last slave ship and is important because it gives firsthand accounts of their lives in Africa, photographs, recordings, etc. of how they were captured, sold, etc. Most if not all U.S. slaves were born here.
When these slaves were freed, they wanted to go back to Africa. They felt that they should be returned to their homeland. It took more money than they had so they established Africatown in Mobile.
Many of those who work in the museum and live in Africatown are descendants of the Clotilda slaves.
Paraders throw moon pies as well as beads! Moon Pies are big here and there is even a huge moon pie on top of a building that comes down on New Years Eve much like the ball drop in Times Square. Mardi Gras refers to the day before Ash Wednesday, whereas Carnivale starts 12 days after Christmas and lasts until Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras. The penultimate is Lundi Gras. Soon there will be Everyday Gras…and reason for a party, parade and a moon pie!!!
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