Many of these sites present romanticized stories of their pasts, and in fact further the romantic retelling of a brutal history by advertising weddings and venue space to the public. Descendants of those enslaved at these plantations often bear the weight of historical trauma while seeing the economic and historical narratives of these spaces controlled by private owners or institutions that prioritize romanticized versions of the past over truth, justice, and repair.

Using The Praise House(This link opens in a new tab) by artist Tony Bingham as the vehicle for discussion, HRI hosted  Tony Bingham and Executive Director of the Wallace Center for Arts and Reconciliation Ebony Howard to talk about plantation tourism, artistic intervention, and the way that descendants are challenging the narrative of this industry. HRI Distinguished Fellow Diann Rust-Tierney moderated the discussion.

Watch the video and panel here: