Blog Post 2: Plantation Museums

Generally, I’m not entirely confident that I am comfortable with plantations being reopened for tourists and visitors, let alone being called ‘museums.’ I guess it would be a proper title for what these reopened plantations are but it doesn’t necessarily sit well with me. I feel as if people go to a museum to appreciate historical, scientific, artistic, or cultural exhibits and I don’t believe plantations that have a focus on the plantation owners, essentially glorifying the actions of the plantation owners, should have the privilege of being called a museum. I think that a museum dedicated to plantation owners is analogous to having a statue of Hitler, which there are none of in Germany, and it’s quite appalling that plantations such as Oak Alley exist here.

However, my opinion changes while looking at plantations, such as the Whitney Plantation, that have a focus on the lives and stories of slaves that worked the plantation. Personally, I believe that this is a history that is worth preserving and appreciating, as it highlights both the hardships and victories of slaves that have descendents that are now free in America. These plantations allow people of all races, ethnicities, and colors to come and learn about the lives that slaves led and as well as the atrocities of slave owners. Although the setting and the atmosphere of a plantation could fuel feelings of despair and discomfort, I still believe that this experience, just as that of the concentration camps in Germany, could be extremely valuable for future generations of humanity.

While taking a look at Oak Alley’s website, it is grossly obvious that the current owners have white washed the history of the plantation in order to glorify past owners of the plantation and monetize the land upon which once enslaved the lives of human beings. One piece of the website that stands out to me is under the section of “A Family Legacy” where they mention the “full service establishment that showcases the rich flavors of the area” that features “favorite Cajun/Creole dishes like red beans & rice, chicken & andouille gumbo and po-boys” but fails to mention the origins of this cuisine or the African slaves that had brought these dishes to the region. While on the Whitney Plantation website, the language differs greatly as they mention the lives of the slaves in the very first sentence and continues by stating that it is the “only plantation museum in Louisiana with a focus on slavery.” Another difference becomes noticeable when considering the visual components of each website. Oak Alley’s website shows photos that depict the beautiful aspects of the plantation while Whitney Plantation has documents of slaves working.

 

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