Nearly 160 years ago, a wooden ship entered Mobile Bay to deliver the last-known and illegal shipment of 110 African slaves to the U.S.

RELATED: On this day in Alabama history: The last recorded slave ship arrived illegally in Mobile

Today, researchers have confirmed the remnants of the Clotilda slave ship that was found in the Mobile River near 12 Mile Island.

But it’s not just the ship’s remnants and history that are being preserved.

Darron Patterson is the president of the Clotilda Descendants Association, a group that was formed after the discovery of the ship.

“The first thing we want to do is make sure that the world never forgets the plight of the 110 people that were on the ship, the Clotilda,” Patteron said. “These people were enslaved here for five years, and once they were emancipated, they established their own community right here in Alabama. The Africatown community still exists to this day.”

Darron Patterson of the Clotilda Descendants Association is an Alabama Bright Light from Alabama NewsCenter on Vimeo.

The discovery of the Clotilda is an important link to civil rights history and the modern social justice struggle.

“We’re at a reckoning point right now. People that have been oppressed for years are saying, ‘No more.’ You have people in the United States, in Australia, in South America, they’re all saying we do not want to endure the things we have been enduring. You have little kids asking their parents about the civil rights,” Patterson said. “Right now, the Clotilda Descendants Association can be a great voice for the oppressed in the state of Alabama and around the world.”

It’s a voice not silenced by the COVID-19 crisis. The pandemic affected the Clotilda Descendants Association much like it did other nonprofits, but that impact was limited.

“The COVID-19 health pandemic affected us for sure, but it did not stop our purpose, what we are out there to do. It just impacted the way we are doing these things,” Patterson said. “We are Zoom meeting instead of in person, but we are still achieving our goals.”

A painting of Darron Patterson’s great-great-grandfather Pollee Allen, a Clotilda survivor. (contributed)

A cutaway of the Clotilda was given to the Africatown community by National Geographic. (contributed)

Darron Patterson, center, poses with Alabama Tourism Director Lee Sentell, right. (contributed)

The University of Texas at El Paso hosted Darron Patterson, president of the Clotilda Descendants Association. (contributed)

A bust of Clotilda survivor Cudjo Lewis outside historic Union Baptist Church that was founded by the Clotilda survivors. (contributed)

Darron Patterson pours water during an Africa libation ceremony. (contributed)

Despite the pandemic, Patterson and his staff continue to achieve those goals of letting the world know the Clotilda story. To do so, Paterson relies on support from corporations and organizations such as the Alabama Power Foundation.

“Our relationship with the Alabama Power Foundation is amazing. We have received grants from them for different things in the community. We know they are about making sure that organizations like ours have what we need going forward,” Patterson said.

RELATED: Alabama Power Foundation helps Mobile history museum preserve story of Clotilda survivors

RELATED: Construction of Alabama’s new Africatown museum begins

All of us seek to know our purpose. Patterson sees his purpose in his role with the Clotilda Descendants Association.

“I do what I do because I love it. I believe God put me in this position to help with our mission of letting the world know about the Clotilda,” Patterson said.

For more information and to support the Clotilda Descendants Association, visit www.theclotildastory.com.