Preservation of African American Treasures in Louisiana

Hear about the historic preservation of African American treasures in Louisiana.

For 30 years, Darryl Hambrick and his sister (who run the River Road African American Museum in Donaldsonville) have learned about and tracked down lost cemeteries of slaves in the region. These cemeteries are scattered along the Mississippi River, where petrochemical plants now dominate the landscape. Through their research, the duo found historians and archeologists working with landowners to honor and preserve these gravesites before they are lost forever. Hambrick says these burial sites reveal how enslaved people lived and shed light where history has been silent.

“On a plantation, this was your freedom. You didn’t get freedom until you were dead in your grave. There needs to be a place that’s protected in the memory of those people who were enslaved here,” said Hambrick.

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