4 stars, rounded up from 3.5. A truly interesting and well-researched story, and great to see these "hidden figures" be brought to light. The author doesn't always quite shine in his presentation of these incredible people and their place in history, but he does keep their relevance and history front and center, and I would recommend the book to a wide variety of readers.

Many thanks to #NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Last Slave Ship is an action-packed, erudite account that’s filled with all of the things we as humans need... action, new insights, and compassion. Highly recommended!
#BenRaines #NetGalley

This book details the journey of the enslaved people who were captured and brought to the United States on the Clotilda, the last known slave ship to arrive in the United States, The Last Slave Ship' is a story about generational trauma and resilience in the face of systemic racism. The conclusion of this book is so gripping yet touching. You're not going to want to put it down but when you do (you only will because there is no more book left to read), you'll want to just sit with your emotions because there is a lot to feel.

It all began with a bet. In his arrogance, one wealthy landowner bet he could organize the bringing of a cargo of enslaved Africans to America, 50 years after the Pacific Slave Trade became illegal, and get away with it.
Well, he did it. And the story from inception to the modern-day descendants of those enslaved Africans is finely detailed in reporter Ben Raines’ account of that voyage and his subsequent find of the Clotilda, dubbed The Last Slave Ship.
Yes, this is a history book. But it is so well crafted it does not read like one. Very detailed in its information, Mr. Raines takes us from the actual inception of the bet, the organization and purchase of a ship, the procurement of the slaves in Africa, and its final arrival – ahead of schedule – in Mobile, Alabama, with a total of 110 captured souls on board.
But it does not stop there. Docking just months before the start of the Civil War, these specific slaves found themselves free just 5 years later due to the end of the war and Emancipation. As most were still within a close proximity to each other, they banded together and pooled their money to buy land and established a town of their own. They named it Africatown and most of those same slaves lived there for the rest of their lives. This is an account of how these souls survived and flourished, their town, and where their descendants are today.
Admittedly this book was far different than I expected but I am so glad I read this. The text is engaging and easy to follow, and I enjoyed getting to know the men and women brought against their will to America, and how they managed to move forward. I did skip over parts describing the eventual industrialization of Africatown, but others may find this more interesting.
In the end, this is a great look at a most unique point of America’s history. Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Shuster, and especially Ben Raines for allowing me early access to this very interesting work.