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HOW A SEARCH FOR LOST ANCESTORS PULLED THIS DIVER INTO THE DEPTHS

Tuesday, June 18, 2024

To mark the latest federal holiday, we bring you the personal story of a diver discovering sunken history, the tale of a pioneering haven west of the Mississippi River, how these museums are lifting unheard voices, and a celebration of Black joy.

Diving With a Purpose (DWP) lead dive instructor Jay Hailer cradles a stone from a ballast pile in Coral Bay, St. John, in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The stones have been key to identifying slave ships; they often were used to balance the weight of captives in a ship's cargo hold.

PHOTOGRAPH BY DAVID DOUBILET, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

Tara Roberts took up diving to learn about the human side of a tragic era. The Nat Geo Explorer wound up connecting with her family’s complex past. Never did she dream she would be part of a group of Black divers uncovering the Clotilda, the last ship carrying enslaved people to the United States before the Civil War. (Above, a diving instructor holding a fragment found on the ship.)

THE HIDDEN HISTORY

Tune in: The Nat Geo documentary Clotilda: The Return Home is streaming on Hulu and Disney+.

A MOVE TO FREEDOM

An aerial view of the town. In its early days

PHOTOGRAPH BY LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Decades before the Great Migration came the Great Exodus. Some 27,000 African Americans left the South in the 19th century, about a decade after the end of the Civil War. For the first time, Black Americans were “voting with their feet”—demonstrating discontent with the South by seeking safety and autonomy in new lands (pictured above). Where did the families go?

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STORIES WE’RE FOLLOWING

An undated photograph of Harriet Powers that is the only confirmed one in existence.

MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, BOSTON/ SCALA, FLORENCE (LEFT) , ALBUM/GRANGER (RIGHT)

Harriet Powers (pictured above) and her storytelling quilts that continue to inspire generations of artists

Uncovering Harriet Tubman’s secret Civil War missions

What are ‘first-voice’ museums? And how are they changing the way we are telling history?

The dish towel that ended the Civil War

The ‘Road to Nowhere’: the story behind one of America’s most haunted roads

Reviving the Juneteenth tea cake

AROUND THE WORLD

Adan Salazar, a member of the cabalgata, travels 20 miles to celebrate Juneteenth in Nacimiento.

PHOTOGRAPH BY LUJÀN AGUSTI

One village in Mexico has observed Juneteenth for more than 150 years. Once a part of the “Southern Underground Railroad,” villagers in northern Mexico’s Coahuila state helped formerly enslaved people across the border reach freedom. Here, the deep traditions of the holiday keep the culture of the Mascogos alive. Here’s how the history extends even further south.

IN MEXICO AND THE U.S.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

On a 90 degree day in Southeast, Washington D.C., community members cooled off as they enjoyed playing in the water hydrant, which is a tradition summertime activity.

PHOTOGRAPH BY DEE DWYER

At its core, Juneteenth celebrates joy and freedom. Across the country, groundbreaking artists and Black creators are documenting the experiences that nourish their communities, recognizing a type of joy that is “mined from a very different vein of human experience.” See their art.

Related: Meet Opal Lee, and see why Juneteenth is a celebration of hope

THROUGH HISTORY

Photos compiled together from the Brooks family

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY SAKKE OVERLUND VIA THE BROOKS FAMILY

This writer traced his ancestry prior to 1870—past the genealogical brick “wall” that resulted from the lack of records naming formerly enslaved people. New data and digital tools, is helping many find ancestors and understand their families’ journeys. How did he do it?

Related: How AI is helping to recover 10 million missing names from history

Today’s soundtrack: Freedom, Beyoncé

Thanks for reading today’s newsletter! It was curated and edited by Nishita Naga, Nancy San Martín, and David Beard. Want to let us know your thoughts? Send away: [email protected].

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