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Why Many Celebrate The Burning Of Largest Southern Plantation
Some mourn historical landmark, others celebrate its destruction
The public reaction to the burning of the Nottoway plantation, the largest remaining antebellum-era structure in the South, has been mixed. While many, particularly Black Americans, celebrate the visage of a Louisiana sugar plantation engulfed in flames, others bemoan the loss of this landmark. This historical preservation argument falls flat as we consider the actual use of the property. Their website referred to Nottaway as a "resort," as if removing the term "plantation" would wash away all the horrors inflicted upon Black people there. The present owners offer visitors the opportunity to tour rooms in the main house, book a reservation for an overnight stay at a "cottage," or host their wedding on the property. It's clear this former plantation was not being used to inform the public about the legacy of slavery, but rather to profit off the ambiance of the antebellum era, while whitewashing its horrific legacy.
The romanticization of southern plantations offers a striking contrast to how other nations treat historical landmarks associated with inhumane treatment. No one uses former concentration camps, such as Auschwitz in Poland, as wedding venues. The fact that World War II-era German Nazis tortured…
