AFRICAN AMERICAN LIFE

Not that terribly long ago historic preservation focused almost exclusively upon grand architectural landmarks and the homes of wealthy or powerful people – folks like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Today the field is reaching its fullest potential by embracing the everyday history of everyday people, including the many ethnic groups that have enriched our nation.

For generations, thousands upon thousands of Africans and African-Americans labored against their will on sugar and cotton plantations throughout Louisiana -- others in the streets and wharves of New Orleans and other cities. When freedom came, African-Americans were essentially left to their own devices, without land, money or an education. The late 1800s and early 1900s were particularly repressive years, as rights gained during Reconstruction were stripped away and violence was all too frequent. But somehow, as always, African-Americans survived.

The promises of emancipation were finally realized some 100 years later in the watershed years of the modern civil rights movement. Countless unnamed heroes made a difference every day as they refused to report to work through the back door, staged sit-ins at drugstore lunch counters, and integrated schools.

African-Americans these days have a heightened awareness of the importance of recording and preserving their historic buildings. For example, interest in nominating African-American properties in Louisiana to the National Register of Historic Places has surged within recent years. And ethnic tourism continues to grow across the United States.

Very few historic buildings remain across the South to tell the story of “before freedom came.” Louisiana probably has more than most states (but still precious few). The most important are the quarters at Evergreen and Magnolia plantations (St. John the Baptist and Natchitoches parishes, respectively) and urban housing for enslaved people in New Orleans’ Vieux Carre. Among the most significant surviving historic buildings from “after freedom came” are churches and benevolent association halls -- institutions that nurtured and sustained the black community in trying times. Then there are the countless old school buildings that represent a precious commodity denied enslaved African-Americans: an education. Finally, the modern civil rights movement was played out in various historic buildings across the state. It’s time for them to be recognized and preserved.

So the next time you travel Louisiana, be sure to embrace all of its history. Material and links throughout this unit will point the way.