Common Sense Media Review
By Sabrina McFarland
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Ancestors aid search for African slave ship; violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Descendant
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In DESCENDANT, an underwater search and recovery mission is launched to locate the remains of the Clotilda, an illegal slave ship that brought Africans from Dahomey, West Africa to the shores of Mobile, Alabama in 1860. The vessel's arrival is more than 50 years after the abolishment of the international slave trade. On board the boat is Cudjo Lewis, who reportedly later becomes the last known survivor of the Clotilda and an Africatown, Alabama resident, the community where Clotilda descendants now live. The documentary also has archival footage of Lewis filmed by Black writer Zora Neale Hurston and excerpts of Lewis' oral history from Hurston's book Barracoon: The Story of the Last Black Cargo.
Is It Any Good?
For older kids and teens, this insightful documentary shares the spirited allegiance of one African American community's activism to preserve its historic cultural heritage. "Many Black people don't know who they are," notes Mabel Dennison, a Clotilda descendant in the film Descendant. "They don't know where they came from. They don't know who their ancestors were. And they would like to know." Finding the slave ship would be "vitally important," says Cleon Jones, a former New York Mets baseball player who's now an Africatown, Alabama community leader. "What the ship does is give the rest of the world the evidence that it took place." And adds Clotilda descendant Vernetta Henson, "In my inner soul, I'm searching for my ancestry, and if I could put my finger on any part of it, I would feel more complete."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the teamwork of the cast in Descendant. How do they also demonstrate perseverance? Why are these important character strengths?
African American writer Zora Neale Hurston interviewed Clotilda slave ship survivor Cudjo Lewis for a book about his life. If you could speak with Lewis, what questions might you want to ask about his courage on the Clotilda?
Folklore storytelling is shared among the Africatown, Alabama community. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this form of communication?
What curiosity do you have about your ancestors? How would you find information about your family's history?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : October 21, 2022
- Cast : Emmett Lewis , Kamau Sadiki , Veda Tunstall
- Director : Margaret Brown
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Black Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Writer(s) , Black Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Documentary
- Topics : Activism , History
- Character Strengths : Communication , Courage , Curiosity , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Run time : 109 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : thematic material, brief language, and smoking images
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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