The second plantation we went to was the Laura Plantation – a Creole people plantation run by women. This plantation was shown by a one woman minstrel. Unlike the Whitney Plantation, this tour was about plantation like of massa and massa happened to be a woman. A woman who did not want the job. The family came from France. Can’t remember her name nor much of her circumstances except she did not like plantation life and left as a young adult as soon as she could. She was married but lost her husband. Can’t remember those circumstances, either. However, upon her parents death she moved back home on the plantation and assumed the role of miss massa. They had a very large picture of her over a mantle. She looked like she was unhappy and mean. Whoa be the slaves. The grounds were large and well kept. Great history if you’re Creole.This plantation was not far from the Whitney plantation and we did both of these in one day.
In between the plantations we stopped at B & C Seafood Restaurant for lunch, recommended by Legendary Tours – Eddie Hogan. It was the only place out there to eat, as far as I could tell. It is run by a Cajun family – country as all get out and nice people. They were a hoot. Lol The food was good, the service was good and the place stayed full. I scored a small container of cayenne pepper from the waitress (remember the cayenne pepper. It will resurface later) I told her I like hot stuff and she brought my Crystal Hot sauce. Like What?? I said hot. She brought me Tabasco sauce. I say what? I want some cayenne pepper. She brought me a small to go container of cayenne. YIPPEE! I was ready to eat.
Both plantations, Whitney and Laura are about one and a half hours outside of Nawlins. It is a nice ride. We completed out plantation tours about 4:30 pm and headed back to the city. I highly recommend these 2 plantation tours. No doubt the plantations available for tours have downsized the grounds for the purpose of touring. A plantation is usually many acres and miles long. No one is touring all of that BUT those slaves had to walk it and work it EVERY day and half the night.
Many of us don’t want to see nor hear of these times. I myself, didn’t want to go. My mind set was “I am Black and have been all of my life. I know the treachery, meanness, hatefulness of white folks. I participated in and lived the 60’s here and in Tennessee. Black Panthers and SNCC – Kwame Ture (Stokely Carmichael) were my platforms. “I don’t need no plantation tour. ” Well, as one of my fellow traverlers pointed out it is our history. We need to see it and hear more about lest we repeat it. We cannot allow McGrawHill, educational book publishers, and non one else erase such a horrible past. Please go see Whitney plantation if you do not see any other plantation, see that one.
