Slavery in Louisiana – a Visit to Whitney Plantation
In today’s episode, we learn about slavery in Louisiana. We visit Whitney Plantation, located in Wallace, LA 40 miles West of New Orleans. The Whitney is the only plantation whose primary focus is on the slaves who worked, lived, and died along this stretch of the Mississippi River.
My guest today is Joy Banner, Director of Marketing at Whitney. Joy is also a native of the nearby community and is a descendant of the slaves at Whitney.
On today’s show, you’ll learn…
- About the people who were kidnapped, sold into slavery, and came to work at the Whitney and other plantations along River Road.
- You’ll meet some of the slaves and hear their surprising connections to modern day New Orleanians.
- You’ll gain insight into the conditions they endured, and what plantation life was like for the enslaved.
- Most plantations along River Road were sugar plantations, so you’ll also learn about the process of making granulated sugar on a plantation.
“We ask African Americans to get over it, but we don’t really understand what the it is.” – John Cummings, owner of Whitney Plantation
Time Stamps
Resources
Whitney Plantation – located in Wallace, LA 40 miles West of New Orleans. For more information about Whitney Plantation, visit their website.
Thank You
Thanks to Joy Banner for welcoming my wife and I to Whitney Plantation. Joy took us around the grounds on a day when they were closed, patiently answered all of our questions, then made time two days later for the interview.
Want to Make Your Trip to New Orleans the Best Ever?
Of course you do!
If you’re planning a trip to New Orleans and want to cut through all the research we’re here to help. We offer a personalized travel consult. Here’s how it works:
You complete a brief questionnaire to help us get to know you and the experience you want to have in New Orleans. Next, we set up a 20-30 minute phone or video call. During the call, we get to know you a little better. We can clarify any questions and bounce a few ideas off of you to make sure we ‘re on the right track.
Finally, we prepare and deliver a pdf document with our recommendations for your trip. Depending on your needs the report will contain specific places to stay, eat and drink. It will also offer suggestions on things to do and see, all based on your budget and interests.
Sound good? Just go to http://www.beyondbourbonst.com/travel for all the details and a link to order the service.
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you enjoy the show, please subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play Music or wherever you get your podcasts. If you do enjoy listening, please share Beyond Bourbon Street with someone who shares our love of New Orleans.
Join Us on Facebook
We now have a Facebook group where you can ask questions, share your New Orleans experiences and engage with others who love all things New Orleans. Join us by going to www.beyondbourbonst.com/facebook
Contact Us
Got an idea for an episode, have some feedback or just want to say hi?
Leave us a message at 504-475-7632 or send an email to mark@beyondbourbonst.com
Thanks for listening!
Mark
I visited the Whitney in October of 2016. Even though it was October, it was 90 degrees and very, very humid. The idea of cutting cane in that weather, or boiling sugar in that weather, was eye-opening. Maybe I missed it, but I wish someone had mentioned the statues of former child slaves at the plantation, representing the adults who were emancipated as children and gave their testimony to the Federal Writer’s Project. More on those remarkable statues can be found here: http://whitneyplantation.com/the-children-of-the-whitney.html
Excellent podcast. I hope to visit the plantation to pay my respects to the memory of the enslaved slaves.
I join there page learn about history about people who work the land long time ago