A recent investigation by a task force led by the Alabama Historical Commission has determined that the Clotilda, the last known U.S. slave ship, is too damaged and decayed to be salvaged without dismemberment. The report indicates that the ship, which was illegally used to transport enslaved Africans in 1860, has suffered severe erosion and has been broken in half. Experts recommend that the best way to honor the Clotilda is to preserve it underwater, where it was discovered in 2019, as it holds unique historical significance. James Delgado, a marine archaeologist involved in the study, emphasized the importance of maintaining the site as it represents a critical historical crime scene. Historical records show that some survivors of the Clotilda established Africatown, near Mobile, Alabama, after the Civil War. The investigation, which cost $1 million, presented photographic evidence of charred remains of the ship, corroborating historical narratives.