Margaret Brown directed Descendant, a significant documentary about a little-known (or totally unknown) chapter in the history of the U.S.
It chronicles the story behind Africatown in Alabama, and the descendants of the last known enslaved Africans brought to the U.S. aboard the Clotilda.
The film premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival, where it was picked up for distribution by the Obamas’ Higher Ground Productions and Netflix.
It received a theatrical release on October 21, 2022 and was available to stream on Netflix that day as well.
The wreckage of the Clotilda was found as late as 2019 in the Mobile River of Alabama.
The film explores the community of Africatown and the descendants of some of the last known enslaved Africans that were brought aboard her 40 years after slavery had already been deemed a capital offense.
After the wreckage of the Clotilda was discovered, director Brown spent 4 years with the residents of Africatown examining how the discovery has impacted the lives of descendants.
Among many merits, the movie serves as a vital reminder that the field of history is always changing, as a result of new evidence and/or a new interpretation of existing data.
Descendant offers a compelling example of how history can be–and is–reclaimed, in this case, through a stirring tribute to a resilient community.
Brown produced the film alongside Kyle Martin and Essie Chambers for Participant and Take One Five Entertainment.
