. >> c cooper: thehe state of f aa has set asidide a millioion dols for r further exexcavation, , tone ifif the "clototildn evever be raisised from ththe riverbeded. the e ship may b be too damamagr the efeffort too e expensive. >> mary elliott: i think what's extremely important for folks to understand is that, that there was a concerted effort to hide these things that were done. >> cooper: mary elliott oversees the collection of slavery artifacts at the smithsonian's national museum of african american history and culture in washington, d.c. >> elliott: it's important that we found the remnants of this ship, because it, for african americans, it's their piece of the true cross, their touchstone, to say, "we've been telling you for years, and here's the proof." >> cooper: remarkably, many of the descendants still live just a few miles from where the "clotilda" was discovered. this is africatown. founded around 1868, three years after emancipation, by 30 of the africans brought on the "clotilda." joycelyn davis has organized festivals to honor africatown's founders, one of whom was