A remarkably wide-ranging book taking in everything from science to soft drinks to show how slavery’s insidious hand wormed its way into the very fabric of American life..

An extraordinary story.

Acknowledging her debt to her predecessors, and sometimes correcting earlier misconceptions, Ms. Durkin adds her own meticulous research and relates the story in ample and affecting detail.

The Survivors of the Clotilda, a comprehensive account of one of the most important parts of American history, is a triumph..

Because it tells the stories of so many people in so much detail, The Survivors of the Clotilda is dense and can lack a clear narrative thread. Yet this multitude of stories allows readers to see a variety of reactions to and experiences of enslavement.

Durkin’s in-depth view is based largely on the survivors’ own words and perspectives... and is woven together with her extensive archival research. It’s a stirring saga of resilience that sheds new light on Black life in postbellum America..

A welcome history of defiance and survival..