Luminaries line the porch of a Oakland Cabin honoring the 131 enslaved people who lived and worked on the plantation in 1850/NPS file

In honor of Black History Month, Cane River Creole National Historical Park in Louisiana will host two separate memorial illumination events to remember and honor the people who were enslaved on Magnolia Plantation and Oakland Plantation.

The Magnolia illumination will take place on Saturday, February 12, and the Oakland illumination will take place on Saturday, February 26.

The free illumination events and self-guided tours will begin at 6:30 p.m. local time and end at 8:00 p.m. The tours will be outdoors, will cover about a half-mile over uneven and unpaved ground, and will occur rain or shine. Participants are encouraged to bring a flashlight and dress appropriately for weather and walking conditions. Oakland Plantation is located at 4386 Highway 494, Natchez, LA. Magnolia Plantation, which can only be accessed from LA Highway 1, is located at 5549 Highway 119, Derry, LA.

The institution of enslavement and the act of emancipation have left indelible imprints on many aspects of Cane River life, and the park has been working for years to uncover the stories of all the people that lived on the two plantations. The process was a long one, and one that is still ongoing. Each luminaria represents an enslaved man, woman, or child. Groupings of luminarias reflect a moment in time in the plantation’s history. Luminaries will be marked with the names, ages, places of origin and skills of the enslaved individuals when possible. This information has been retrieved from original archives.

“We honor them by finding out their names and remembering their contributions to the landscape, the park and our country,” said Chief of Interpretation Barbara Justice. “It is important that we remember all of the people that helped create the nation, that we remember not just the good parts of our story but also the painful parts. We can’t heal if we don’t acknowledge the pain.”

Anyone who might know more details about enslaved people who lived and worked on Oakland or Magnolia is encouraged to reach out and share. In addition, please contact the park if you would be willing to volunteer to assemble and/or place luminarias on February 12 or February 26. For more information, please find us on Facebook or call the park at 318-352-0383, ext. 316.