Benin, Africa (c 1847- 1937) ~90 yrs

Redoshi, later known as Sally Smith, was kidnapped from a village in modern-day Benin. She was brought to the U.S. on the Clotilda, the last recorded slave ship to arrive in the U.S., according to research by Dr. Hannah Durkin. Using firsthand accounts from various sources and U.S. Census data and public records, Durkin was capable of retelling Redoshi’s story. She was forced aboard a slave ship and enslaved in 1860 at the age of 12. She was sold as a child bride and remained on an Alabama plantation for 70 years. She survived the Civil War and the Great Depression before dying in 1937. Durkin’s research also points to glimpses of Redoshi’s strength and resilience. For instance, she maintained her African heritage. She managed to keep her identity. She even passed some of her native language down to her daughter.