Is it fitting today to have a national park named after Jean Lafitte, a pirate, slave trader, and womanizer?/Anonymous portrait, held by Rosenberg Library, Galveston, Texas
Princeton University made national news the other day when it took Woodrow Wilson's name off its School of Public and International Affairs because of President Wilson's racist thinking. Might that prod calls to have Jean Lafitte's name removed from Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve in Louisiana?
After all, Lafitte not only was a pirate, but he was a slave trader, and some would add womanizer and even rapist to his resume, as well. But his aid to the U.S. government during the War of 1812 against Britain cast him as a patriot, not a pirate, and in some eyes a swashbuckling pirate at that.
According to the National Park Service, "(I)n September 1814, British military officials sought Lafitte’s help in their campaign to attack the U.S. from the Gulf of Mexico. Lafitte decided to warn American authorities and offered to help defend New Orleans in exchange for a pardon for his men."
"Although General Andrew Jackson, commander of the American troops, originally described Lafitte as a 'hellish banditti,' he finally accepted Lafitte’s help because of the ammunition, cannoneers, and knowledge of the area Lafitte could supply. The expert cannon fire of Jackson’s troops, including Lafitte’s Baratarians, contributed to the American victories during the New Orleans campaign that culminated with the Battle of New Orleans."
The following month, February 1815, President James Madison pardoned Lafitte and his men for any crimes they committed against the United States, the park's website notes.
How did the pirate's name get attached to a national park?
Well, U.S. Senator J. Bennett Johnston, a Democrat from Louisiana, was somewhat of a patron saint to Jean Lafitte National Historical Park. Johnston in 1976 introduced the legislation to create the park, and when he chaired the Senate subcommittee on national parks and served as floor manager of the Interior Department's appropriations bill he saw that the park was properly funded.
According to an administrative history of the park, naming it after Lafitte never really generated any uproar. Johnston simply deferred to Frank Ehret, who was viewed as the father of the park for his persistent lobbying.
According to Frank Ehret’s recollection, Senator Johnston took the stance that, if Jean Lafitte was a good enough name for Frank, it was good enough for the senator. The senator does not remember any discussion of a different name, and no other name was suggested during congressional hearings on the park bill. Only years after the park was established was there some scattered criticism of the name.
There was a time when the Delta Region Preservation Commission discussed a name change, "mostly because of concern that the public associated the name with the Barataria portion of the park only," but it never really caught fire.
In the 1990s National Park Service Director Roger Kennedy raised the question of renaming the park, but the superintendent at the time thought the locals favored the name and she didn't think it was worth creating controversy.
Might it create controversy today? What new name would you attach to the park?
Comments
Close all national parks the whole concept was a joke probably the idea of a white racist Steve Mather yeah right look in his background
If the guys wno drafted the documents which eventually created our nation and made it the freest in the world nad refused to participate in slavery, they would been rejected and scorned by the vast umber of early Americans who supported slavery, and likely the early attemps to create a Republic never would have happened and we'd still be a British colony. Also refer to the life of NYPD officer Frank Serpico and his attempt to be a good cop and face down corruption...and see what it got him. Working with wolves, one must be at least thought of as one of the pack. Otherwise youre on your own.
Fred, today, the descendants of the "Acadians" that this Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve commemorates are mostly Cajun and Creole. I know because I've been down there; the food is actually pretty good; and all we're talking about here is whether those folks might want to think about a name for the park that better reflects them and their heritage. We're just considering that in the spirit of respecting folks who might not been given a full say about the name in the past. That's all. Yes, I guess we're agreeing with the general opinion that, in hindsight, Jean Lafitte really wasn't such a nice person and maybe the local folks in that part of the country might want an opportunity to change the name to better reflect their values; but, that's all.
Just like you, we like being a Republic and not a British colony. So, we're not talking about starting any riots, establishing any socialistic autonomous zones, tearing down any sacred monuments, disrespecting Frank Serpico, working with wolves, forming any wolf packs, destroying anything that any white supremacists would truly be upset about, or anything like that. We're just thinking about changing the name on a few signs.
In fact, we're not really even making any new pronouncements about slavery and if you want to defend early Americans who supported slavery, then we leave that up to you. If you want, we can even try to take up a collection to go buy all the white bedsheets you might need in order to sew up a fine outfit for those special occasions where you might want to look good for your group. Fred, we want both you and Stephen Nault as well to feel comfortable.
Let's change it! History is being made each day. An important part of today's history will be how many wrongs we righted. The history can never forget the original name and we will now know the good and the bad about the original name, and have the opportunity to learn about the new name and the time in history when people felt it was important to make these changes. Education is about knowing more not keeping things the same. Let's embrace it. I vote for more women of history- so many wise female heros which are not represented in our monuments, money, or parks. Let the historians tell the story of a strong woman from Louisiana or a current person deserving of the honor. It will all be history some day.
Ah.... Name calling and personal attacks. How intelligent. Its the same principle, isnt it. The pyramids honor the pharoahs who used slaves to build these monuments to themselves. A park name, does not even compare in significance. Respectfully, you are wrong. Folks are calling for the destruction and/or removal of monuments, and even destroying them, if they see fit.
Yeah, yeah, I already got the report on how the republican campaign machine has decided that a last resort campaign strategy for this fall might be to send out their flying monkey minions and cybersurrogates to raise a contrived stink about how everyone who isn't a diehard Trumpist is "calling for the destruction and/or removal of monuments, and even destroying them." But, again, it's just another silly attempt to distract folks from looking at the republican party's unending, dismal, and corrupt failures. It's really just a transparently, artificially, and desperately contrived "spinmeistered" stink about whatever you think might protect your dear leader from what he deserves to get at the polls.
Again, the descendants of the "Acadians" that this Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve commemorates are now mostly Cajun and Creole and all we're talking about here is whether those folks might want to think about a name for the park that better reflects them and their heritage. It's not about telling anybody what to think or what to do; it's all about just giving folks a say.
Why are you even inserting yourself into this discussion? Why are you so desperate to tell the folks living in that part of Louisiana what to do and think? Are you a fan of Jean Lafitte? What about his life as an alcoholic, thief, pedophile, rapist, adulterer, and slave trader do you find so crucial to defend? Nevermind, I already know the answer; you're just a republican minion, haven't got the vaguest idea about Lafitte, and really couldn't care less. If the republican party apparatchiks told you to go raise a stink on behalf of a national park for Jeffrey Epstein, you'd jump right to it.
Yes, education not eradication
My grandmothers mother is actually listed on a 1908 Cherokee rollcall and through her father I'm related to this man.
Epstein abramoff is a bit of a stretch for someone probably and arguably whitewashed by history whose origins remainly somewhat a matter of scholarly debate since pirate.
Although even if he was mixed race or his compatriots they still were slavers according to historical inference if you werent a pirate tough cookies they were going to profit off anything to further their individual means.
Anyways to be quite honest I'm indifferent either way as a Florida native because I believe its not my business.
A name doesn't help native Americans unless the proceeds from the park went to fight problems in native american communities: such as alcoholism, "lost birds", among various others.
We have plenty enough mispronounced false platitudes to go around.
I think as long as local residents are in favour of a change and the proposed name change would be all that matters. I'm not particularly proud of a man who helped andrew jackson while he committed atrocities but enjoy that he stuck it to colonial spain as an ally of gran Columbia.
Take what you will from that but I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment.
Have a good day & stay safe
P