Why America Needs a Slavery Museum

The Whitney Plantation near Wallace, Louisiana, is the first and only U.S. museum and memorial to slavery. While other museums may include slavery in their exhibits, the Whitney Plantation is the first of its kind to focus primarily on the institution. John Cummings, a 78-year-old white southerner, has spent 16 years and more than $8 million of his own fortune to build the project, which opened in December of last year.

Cummings, a successful trial attorney, developed the museum with the help of his full-time director of research, Ibrahima Seck. The duo hope to educate people on the realities of slavery in its time and its impact in the United States today. “The history of this country is rooted in slavery," says Seck. “If you don’t understand the source of the problem, how can you solve it?”

Author: Paul Rosenfeld

[nigelcooper]

Officially on the bucket list of places I must visit

[Melanin_Move]

God bless this man. Wish all was like this. Beautiful man.

[classyog]

I went to this museum yesterday. I was expecting them to talk about the most depressing part of slavery, when I got there I wasn't sure why I wasted my time..I was so wrong, my children and I left there with so much great information to process..The history that is taught in our school is not true or so manipulated the ower understands this and he is trying to do his part by properly educating a listening ear..If anyone decides go this will be a great experience.

[selendriamuganogo]

If they knew my history they'd understand why I can't name one grandparent passed my 3rd... They would also understand how envious I am of those who can trace back 15 generations and sometimes more... This museum is needed

[elizabethmarievalentine]

"If you don't understand the source of the problem, how can you solve it?" Absolutely loved this - it makes you think deeper into this whole project.

[SamaireP]

A treasure. We must never forget our history.

[gtribe]

I must say that this guy is a rarity. He seems to be truly trying to understand the depth of mental pain and physical pain that was forced and condoned upon the African people. The "it" he speaks of is the very thing that most white folks refuse to acknowledge and or speak of. The rape, lynchings, separation of family, daily beatings, cultural rape, just to name a few evil actions. I personally have always been a Nat Turner fan, because no race or human should ever suffer this type humiliation. I'm very pleased to see a European /American trying to come to real terms with atrocities og his ancestors. It's the only way we all can try to get past it.

[colinsmith]

I so hate that term black history in school when referencing things like civil rights and slavery or... jazz, because you also have another course called American history, it separate one from the other. It implies further that slaves weren't citizens and absolves the government of the responsibility they had to protect them from the injustices they endured.

[bobbycatskitten]

God bless this man!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️I just watched a tour of Nottoway plantation and the woman was dressed in an old style southern slave masters dress glorifying the old plantation owners. She even bragged about how well the slaves were treated there. She said that many of the ex-slaves stayed after slavery had ended and how “COOL it was to still have may of the descendants of those slaves still working there today”. I’m thinking how is that in any way cool!!! Those people stayed on and worked because they couldn’t read or write and didn’t have money of their own! It’s so sad that she ( the white tour guide) doesn’t get it or does not care to.

[lifewithcamille]

It is my moral obligation as an African American to share the truth about slavery and how it affects us today. Healing is in knowing and then growing...

[missymason]

When i attended university i met up with Africans also studying there. I befriend the student, introduced me to his families. I introduced them to my families too.
I took them to the MARAE of my whanau, we made a hangi for them, their played with our children. Its was the bestest weekend ever. We shared culutres, history songs, dance music....food. we learnt from each other. We all went home. This was in 1999. I graduated in 2002.

[prettynikki]

There is no way anyone should disagree with this video, the truth hurts but it will be told and never ever forgot that this country was founded on it we should never apologize for telling what happened till this day💪

[reneedavis]

I to am a fan of John Brown and Nat Turner. Having said that, I am fascinated with my heritage. Also, I have spent quite a bit of time researching my ancestry. John Cummings and this museum is a blessing. Like any other museum, such as the Holocaust Museum, it authenticates our history. That terrible dark period for those of color who were enslaved in this country. I plan to visit this museum in the very near future.

[Shehannie]

The next time I visit New Orleans, I'm going to the Whitney Plantation. I'm making it my mission.

[ashitakaharuo]

i have difficulties to understand why many white people in america are offended by projects like this and go out of their way with "whataboutisms" as well as "get over it" and "white apologism is sad" ... etc.
this isn't an attempt to make you, as an individual, feel guilty about being white. you don't have to apologize to anybody, unless you want to on behalf of your ancestors. but that's not what people expect.
what you should do is accept, that this is part of american history. it happened, and it's important that people are aware of that and question the reasons for it so it can't happen again.
it doesn't hurt to restore a little bit of dignity to those who were victims of slavery either, but that's not even the point here.
i really don't see why anybody would be against museums like this. it might hurt to understand that your ancestors might have been part of this slave-owner society. but whether they were or not doesn't change that this happened in american history. so what's the problem?

[savantianprince]

The young generations need to learn about it.

[EBad-kozy]

I don't need to know what happen because it hasn't stopped...I appreciate this Gentleman and his "awaking"

[nobody-iwfb]

Slavery is still painful for me...even as a grown woman.

[JK-jmkd]

It good to tell and inform people about the past. To understand what is going on now.

[LuciendaBaxter]

Kanye may want to take a visit here to get a real understanding of 400 years and if we had choices or not🤔😕😞😔🙏🏾🙏🏾