Destrehan Plantation: Part Four

Not Sponsored: How much are you worth? Before I begin with Part Four, I feel the need to interject my belief. I usually just go right in with the facts, but I need to say this. I believe we are all invaluable. I believe in GOD. I believe he made this earth and everything in and around it for us all to enjoy. I believe he gave each one of us gifts and we were to use those gifts/talents to make a pleasant & peaceful existence. He wanted us to use those talents and ENJOY LIFE and the world he made. Man unfortunately has placed a price tag on EVERYTHING. When I looked at this Slave Cabin on Destrehan's Plantation, I stood their in silence. It listed the men, women and children by name, age & occupation that were enslaved on Destrehan Plantation and how much they were worth. You can view the Enslaved Registry here. To give you a range, a slave by the name of Babet (60 years old) who was blind was worth $5. A man by the name of Essex (28 years old) who was a Cooper was worth $1500. This is eye-opening. It's disgusting. It's tragic. These were real people. People with the same brain, heart etc. that YOU HAVE. I couldn't treat a gecko, dog, cat or anything like this. I've never understood how a human being can treat another human being this way. Its beyond disheartening.

Destrehan Plantation

Part One / Part Two / Part Three / Part Four / Part Five

I showed you the inside of Destrehan Plantation in Parts Two and Three. Look at the disparity you guys! This particular cabin had flooring, but some had only DIRT FLOORS (source). Many African-Americans built beautiful furniture for plantation owners & their families, however slaves were not afforded the same luxury. I can't imagine the stifling heat & humidity they had to endure. There were no ceiling fans, air-conditioners, central air or heat. Cooking was done in one area. The hard and long days working outside. Its humbling. Its eye-opening. It makes you think. Marguerite (born 1740) (pictured below) was an enslaved resident of Destrehan Plantation. She was a cook and laundress.

I took some pictures of the cooking area below. It was a building to itself. 

There was also a workshop (where enslaved Essex worked as a Cooper).

I was given a presentation on the clothing for that time. Mary was the presenter. She was so nice, knowledgeable and made me laugh. Slaves were given 1-3 shirts (white shirt you see pictured below). Many times you wore 1-2 shirts during the week and saved another for the weekend. Slave women wore scarves to protect their hair from the heat & humidity and everyday rigors of what they had to do. Corsets, hoop slips and petticoats were all used during this time. I can't imagine wearing all of those layers today. The heat & humidity can be oppressive in Louisiana.