Whitney plantation owner. The heads were planted on poles.

Whitney plantation owner Changing Interpretation Today, many sites are changing their interpretation in important ways to highlight the history of enslavement. In 1858, his distillery was at the heart of a scandal when an exposé in a weekly magazine accused it (and other distilleries) of producing altered and unsafe milk, called " swill milk", for sale to Aug 21, 2017 · I went to the Whitney Plantation Museum to see if America is ready to reckon with its past. The descendants of the Haydels, both black and white, owned the plantation until 1867. Feb 27, 2015 · Whitney Plantation owner John Cummings has commissioned stark artwork for the site, including realistic statues of slave children found throughout the museum. It's only a few miles down the road from other much-visited plantations like Oak Alley Plantation. Aug 13, 2022 · Originally named Habitation Haydel, the Whitney Plantation was established in 1752 on the west bank of the Mississippi River in Louisiana by German immigrant Ambroise Heidel. At the time this area was known as the German Coast. The museum, open daily from 9:30 a. Today, Whitney Plantation is the only plantation museum in Louisiana exclusively dedicated to understanding the facts of slavery. m. Dozens of slaves were executed, and beheaded. They were sent to us by journalist Melinda Anderson who visited on the anniversary of the uprising, Jan. BuzzFeed Contributor Reporting From Terra-cotta statues of child slaves are inside of a church at the Whitney Plantation in Wallace, Louisiana January 13, 2015. Aug 8, 2018 · John Cummings is a unique individual. DONATE The story of slavery Whitney Plantation is a non-profit museum dedicated to the history of slavery, situated on a historical sugar, indigo and rice plantation which operated from 1752-1975. The plantation started with producing indigo but by the 1800s, the plantation’s main crop The public reaction to the burning of the Nottoway plantation, the largest remaining antebellum-era structure in the South, has been mixed. In the past, a generation of Africans and their descendants were enslaved here to grow indigo, rice, and sugar. … Sep 5, 2024 · Mary Snyder studied the 20th-century archives of Louisiana’s Whitney Plantation and the lives of its workers, who, while free, were still tied to the land. We highly recommend taking a trip to the Whitney Plantation. Attaching these stories to the history of the plantation can bring them to life and deepen our understanding of the The Whitney Plantation historic district was listed on the U. Book your tour today! Apr 24, 2025 · The Whitney Plantation museum loses its federal grants for Black history and culture as a result of Trump's attack on DEI. Sep 9, 2023 · Visit the Whitney Plantation, the first museum in Louisiana dedicated to slavery, and explore the history of this difficult chapter in America's past. During your visit, you will learn about the history of slavery in sugarcane plantations in southern Louisiana by visiting a memorial built to commemorate slavery; as well as primitive slave huts, a free men’s church, independent kitchen and a 1790 master’s houses. The NEW ORLEANS, LA July 5-10, 2015 I’d like to begin by thanking the department chair, William Deverell, for the opportunity to travel to New Orleans and explore the rich culture of this city, including the historic French Quarter and Bourbon Street, as well as touring the Whitney Plantation (Wallace, LA), the nation’s first museum dedicated to telling the story of slavery. The Whitney is the first plantation in the country dedicated to showing plantation life from the perspective of the enslaved. As a Site of Memory, with the focus on May 1, 2023 · I’m a Preservationist Ashley Rogers Executive Director, Whitney Plantation Whitney Plantation suffered terrible damage from Hurricane Ida in 2021, including the loss of historic slave dwellings. [1] The museum is An exclusive focus on slavery, this plantation museum has exhibits, memorials, and sculptures Through museum exhibits, memorial sculptures and restored buildings and hundreds of first-person narratives, visitors to Whitney Plantation will gain a unique perspective on the lives of Louisiana’s enslaved people. John the Baptist Parish, less than an hour west of New Orleans. The 2,000-acre property encompasses a variety of buildings that include the so ABOUT Mission Statement The Whitney Institute educates the public about the history and legacies of slavery in the United States. May 18, 2025 · The public reaction to the burning of the Nottoway plantation, the largest remaining antebellum-era structure in the South, has been mixed. Whitney Plantation owner’s house, constructed in 1790. National Register of Historic Places in 1992 and is devoted to slavery in the Southern United States. Sixteen original structures, including the Big House and two slave cabins, remain on May 25, 2025 · A Louisiana plantation-turned-resort burns, prompting a reckoning Roughly an hour away, another plantation is working to honor the history of those once enslaved. While many, particularly Black Americans, celebrate the Louisiana's Whitney Plantation pays homage to the experiences of slaves across the South. The district, including the main house and outbuildings, is preserved near Wallace, in St. The museum preserves over a […] Apr 2, 2019 · Whitney is an attention-grabbing and moving place. Feb 3, 2016 · In a previous post, I described my experience visiting the Whitney Plantation in Wallace, Louisiana. May 21, 2025 · The Whitney Plantation near New Orleans stands apart as the only plantation museum in Louisiana with an exclusive focus on the lives of enslaved people. The photos below are from a memorial at the Whitney Plantation (outside of New Orleans). , preserves historical structures from the plantation, which operated from 1752 to 1975. About 500 slaves rose up, caused considerable damage and killed two white men. Feb 12, 2020 · Whitney Plantation The first plantation museum in the United States to focus on the lives of enslaved people. The plantation was the home of a prominent German family named Haydel who owned many slaves. In 2014 the Whitney Plantation opened its doors to the public for the first time in its 262 year history as the only plantation museum in Louisiana completely dedicated to the history of slavery. It was originally known as Habitation Haydel, a plantation developed by a German immigrant named Ambroise Heidel in the mid-1700s. White Oak Plantation-- located in Baton Rouge, La Whitney Plantation--original owner Jean Jacques Haydel who built the home around the late 18th century, In 1820 a son Marcellin Haydel became part owner of the plantation along with his brother Jean Jacques Haydel. "We are an educational institution," said Ashley Rogers, Whitney's executive director. to 4:30 p. Photo credit: Elsa Hahne. Whitney Plantation Kitchen is the oldest kitchen in Louisiana. It places the stories of the majority of the people who lived and worked there front and center. Learn about the lives of people forced to cultivate sugar and rice on this plantation from 1752-1865. But even as ownership changed, the stories of the people who lived and labored there were largely ignored—until recently. Explore historic grounds, period furnishings, and slave cabins. Jun 28, 2023 · At the Whitney Plantation slavery museum near New Orleans, LA. Visit Whitney Plantation in Louisiana to learn about the history and legacies of slavery in the United States. In its history the plantation would produce indigo, sugar cane, and rice through enslaved labor. Plantation owner Jim Cummings said, “You can’t rewrite history but you can right many of the wrongs—primarily with education. , and became the full owner of the plantation from 1840 until her death in 1860. The Big House on Whitney Plantation Jan 26, 2016 · I had the pleasure of visiting the Habitation Haydel, known today as the Whitney Plantation, several years ago after meeting Mr. The Whitney Plantation is located on the west bank of the Mississippi River, on the historic River Road in St. ” The Whitney Plantation Website "The Whitney Plantation, originally known as Habitation Haydel, is located less than an hour from New Orleans, on the historic River Road in Wallace, Louisiana. He has utilised his personal fortune in a unique way. This Jun 16, 2024 · Whitney Plantation is a former plantation site in Louisiana that has a distinguished history of slavery. 1774) Under Construction Airlie Plantation owned by James Green Carson Bellevue Plantation owned by Isaac Franklin, then his wife Adelicia Hayes Acklen. 1770), the founder of this plantation, emigrated from Germany to Louisiana with his mother and siblings in 1721. May 17, 2025 · Nottoway plantation just burned down, so we decided to look into its history and other plantations where the most brutal chattel slavery occurred. The Heidel name change came about over time, graduating from German to a more locally acculturated French. While in the South, Whitney quickly learned that Southern plantation owners were eager for a way to make cotton growing profitable. This Baptist church built by former slaves shortly after the war was moved to the plantation. (Click each image for a larger Aug 17, 2019 · WALLACE — Ashley Rogers, executive director at Whitney Plantation, wasn’t surprised to read the insensitive plantation tour reviews that went viral on Twitter last week and spurred a widely circulated analysis by The Washington Post. When Mitch Landrieu visited as Lt governor, he compared Whitney Plantation compared the experience to White Oak Plantation-- located in Baton Rouge, La Whitney Plantation--original owner Jean Jacques Haydel who built the home around the late 18th century, In 1820 a son Marcellin Haydel became part owner of the plantation along with his brother Jean Jacques Haydel. Jan 24, 2020 · The Whitney Plantation is the first American slavery museum, offering insights into the life of African slaves on southern plantations. . Mark Peckmezian for The New York Times Feb 27, 2015 · Whitney Plantation owner John Cummings has commissioned stark artwork for the site, including realistic statues of slave children found throughout the museum. Telling the story of slavery in Louisiana, Whitney Plantation is well worth a visit. In 1811, the largest slave revolt in the U. John the Baptist Parish, less than an hour from New Orleans. May 8, 2025 · The jail on the Whitney Plantation “Azelie Haydel bought out her brother in law Jean Jacques Jr. A white-Catholic, from New Orleans, he has invested millions of his own wealth into calling attention to slavery’s evils through education at Whitney Plantation. While most reviews referred to McLeod Plantation in South Carolina, the header image of the story featured a slave cabin […] Feb 23, 2024 · One of the slave cabins at the Whitney Plantation in Wallace, La. Many plantations, including the Whitney, are surrounded by African American communities with historical ties to the plantations. A talented trial lawyer, real estate magnate, and wealthy man. The machine that powered the Aug 23, 2022 · Whitney Plantation Museum has shown it’s possible to do the latter—without scrubbing the property’s painful history to a more palatable shine. May 11, 2023 · Learn more about the Whitney Plantation, America's first museum about the history of slavery, which is located in Louisiana. The Whitney Plantation Historic District is preserved by the Whitney Institute, a non-profit whose mission is to educate the public about the history and legacies of slavery in the Southern United States. Nov 1, 2018 · Sybil Haydel Morial, left, and John Cummings, owner and developer of Whitney Plantation, tour the visitor center's historical wing. 8, 2019. On the land, he would go on to enslave 20 Africans. May 20, 2019 · Whitney Plantation owner’s house, constructed in 1790. Bradish Johnson, a prominent plantation owner and business man who had family ties in both Louisiana and New York, bought the plantation and named it Whitney for his daughter, who had just married into the Whitney family. Bradish Johnson (April 22, 1811 – November 3, 1892) was an American industrialist and slave owner. The heads were planted on poles. S. Its founder, Ambroise Heidel, bought the land that would become Whitney Plantation in 1752. This graphic memorial is acknowledged with silence to honor those brave men, primarily led by Charles of the Deslondes plantation, who were executed for striking for their freedom. Billed humbly as “the only former plantation in Louisiana to focus exclusively on slavery,” the New York Times went further in 2015, declaring it “the first slavery museum in America. Whitney knew that if he could invent such a machine, he Mar 23, 2014 · The current owner, John Cummings, a trial lawyer turned preservationist, has spent more than $6 million of his own money on the restoration and supplies to tell the story about those slaves brought to the plantation from the coast of Africa and their descendants who toiled and lived there. 1811 Slave Revolt Memorial Contributor: Whitney Plantation The 1811 Slave Revolt Memorial. Because of the disruption of war, the plantation was not sold until 1867. Explore the National Register-listed Whitney Plantation Historic District and discover its role in the production of indigo, sugar, and rice. Approximately forty-five miles (seventy-two kilometers) west The Whitney Plantation Authors: Kayla Jordan and Liz Galarza Overview The Whitney Plantation, located in Wallace, Louisiana, is the first and only museum in the United States that is completely focused on highlighting the harsh realities of slavery from the slave’s perspective. Sep 4, 2020 · When Jessica Smith leads tourists through Louisiana’s famed Oak Alley Plantation, she always asks why they decided to visit. Edgard, Louisiana Gain a Deeper Understanding of Slavery at Historic Whitney Plantation On this tour, you will get a personal look into the history of plantation owners and enslaved people in Antebellum Louisiana. Whitney Plantation | The Story of Slavery Within the boundaries of Habitation Haydel, as the Whitney Plantation was originally known, the story of the Haydel family and the slaves that they owned were intertwined. Whitney Plantation Whitney Plantation, not far from New Orleans, is one of the best preserved plantations in Louisiana. Jun 12, 2019 · Located 46 miles west of New Orleans, Whitney Plantation is a museum and historic district that is devoted to sharing the un-sugarcoated story of slavery. But it's far distant in its mission to present some of the unvarnished truth about the institution that The following is a list of notable people who owned other people as slaves, where there is a consensus of historical evidence of slave ownership, in alphabetical order by last name. Jul 11, 2023 · Before Cummings, Whitney Plantation had a long list of owners spanning back to the era of enslavement. Whitney Plantation is the only plantation museum in Louisiana with an exclusive focus on the story of slavery. He owned plantations and sugar refineries in Louisiana and a large distillery in New York City. The district, including the main house and outbuildings, is preserved near St. Feb 16, 2016 · The Whitney Plantation is the first museum dedicated to telling the story of slavery in America and memorialized all who have worked and lived on it's grounds. The Whitney Plantation Museum is the only museum in Louisiana dedicated to the lives of enslaved people. Today, visitors come here to learn about the South's turbulent past. The property has been restored and serves as a museum dedicated to those enslaved inhabitants who built, lived and died there. On December 7, 2014, Whitney Plantation opened to the public as a museum. Download our audio tour to explore all 14 stops. Visiting the Whitney Plantation The Whitney Plantation opened to the public in 2014. Ambroise Heidel (1702-ca. Jul 11, 2024 · In Louisiana, Whitney Plantation —lauded for being the first historic plantation site dedicated solely to the history of enslaved people—is under threat from an outside company looking to Needs Profiles Bayside Plantation, (1846-1866) Owner: Francis DuBose Richardson Magnolia Plantation Owner: Jean Baptiste Lecomte II Whitney Plantation Owner: Ambros (Heidel) Haydel (1702-bef. Jun 25, 2025 · After the Civil War, the property was renamed Whitney Plantation by its new owner, Bradish Johnson, who named it after his grandson. "Let's hope with the cutting of this ribbon, we cut ties with everything that's evil and we can start again," Cummings said as he opened the property to the public late last year. Today Jun 12, 2019 · Located 46 miles west of New Orleans, Whitney Plantation is a museum and historic district that is devoted to sharing the un-sugarcoated story of slavery. Occupation and cultivation of land started in 1752 by a German immigrant known as Haydel, together with his wife. Feb 26, 2015 · John Cummings (right), the Whitney Plantation’s owner, and Ibrahima Seck, its director of research, in the Baptist church on the grounds. They were stopped after a rough battle. It is one of very few slavery-focused museums in the US and the only one in Louisiana. While many, particularly Black Americans, celebrate the visage of a Louisiana sugar plantation engulfed in flames, others bemoan the loss of this landmark. Morial's launch of the paperback edition of her memoir drew Whitney Plantation Wallace, Louisiana, United States The Whitney Plantation is located on the west bank of the Mississippi River, on the historic River Road in St. Jun 17, 2015 · Up the River Road from New Orleans is the new museum about slavery, the Whitney Plantation. The sweltering Louisiana countryside north of May 15, 2020 · On the Whitney Plantation, perhaps what is most powerful and moving is the memorial to the 1811 Revolt. It exposes the dark history of Experience the Whitney Plantation tour with Cajun Encounters. South erupted on the Coast of Louisiana. What was Mar 24, 2016 · John Cummings, founder of the Whitney Plantation museum, wants to tell the story of America’s tragic history of slavery. Dec 16, 2021 · Eli Whitney's Patent for the Cotton Gin As Eli Whitney left New England and headed South in 1792, he had no idea that he would patent a machine that would profoundly alter the course of American history. The Whitney Museum Mar 11, 2019 · The Whitney Plantation also has excerpts from the 1930’s Federal Writers Project featuring interviews with people who remembered being enslaved. John Cummings, the owner and visionary behind this amazing project. What was the extent of the damage to the whole complex of buildings and grounds and has Whitney fully recovered? It will take years for us to fully May 19, 2018 · Brief Background on Whitney Plantation What is today Whitney Plantation, was originally known as Habitation Haydel. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, on the River Road along the Mississippi River. ” Whitney Plantation makes significant strides in that direction. Since opening in 2014, it has banned weddings and instead dedicates itself to education.