Historian Dr. Ibrahima Seck speaks about the history of the Whitney Plantation.
London Taylor/The Lion's Roar
The Whitney Plantation museum shows the history behind the slavery that took place on its grounds.
On Oct. 6, Senegalese historian, Dr. Ibrahima Seck, gave a lecture about the plantation. The lecture was held in Room 234 of the Cate Tec building from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The plantation is located on River Road in Wallace, Louisiana. In 1721, The Whitney Plantation, formerly known as Habitation Haydel, was founded by the German immigrant Ambroise Heidel. After the Civil War in 1867, the property was sold to a man from New York, Bradish Johnson, who named the plantation after his grandson Harry Whitney.
The inspiration for the lecture stems from Seck wanting to make people aware that this country is similar to other countries.
“The lecture is about slavery in Louisiana through the example of The Whitney Plantation,” said Seck. “In this country, we need lectures like this one. We have problems, like other countries.”
Seck explained that he wants people to know about the history of Whitney Plantation.
“I connect the plantation to the regional and global context,” said Seck. “It’s not for just a specific age group, it is for everyone and not just adults.”
The research of the plantation is led by Seck. He mentioned that it took 16 years to prepare for this lecture topic.
“I have done plenty of lectures of the Whitney Plantation,” said Seck. “There’s too many to count. I have given lectures all over the globe. I’ve been to places such as London, islands, states and etc. Later this month, I will be in the French Caribbean.”
The lecture provided information about who owned the plantation, the different types of physical presentation as well as the graphic ones, information about the slaves and more.
Seck described why the lecture was so important to fanfare.
“It’s not just about letting people know the particular history of the plantation, it’s about using solid facts to educate people about slavery,” said Seck. “It is also a way to lead to action about the legacy of slavery.”
To learn more about the Whitney Plantation, please visit the official site at whitneyplantation.com.