Southeastern NEWS
Southeastern Louisiana University
Public Information Office
publicinfo@selu.edu
SLU 10880, Hammond, LA 70402
504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
Date: 9/27/99
Contact: Carol Dotson 5
PUBLIC INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN ARCHAEOLOGICAL
PROJECT AT EVERGREEN PLANTATION
HAMMOND --Take a drive down Louisiana's River Road and sooner or later you will
come across one of the many majestic antebellum plantations that are a part of Louisiana's rich
cultural heritage. While African American slaves made up 90 percent of the population of many
plantations, there are few visible remnants of most plantations' slave quarters and there is even
less written information on the daily lives of slaves.
Southeastern Louisiana University professor Scott Simmons is working to change that.
Simmons is conducting an archaeological investigation in the slave quarters area at the request of
the owner of historic Evergreen plantation. The project is known as the African American
Archaeological Research Project (AAARP).
Evergreen Plantation is located approximately 55 miles upriver from New Orleans on the
west bank of the Mississippi river near Edgard in St. John the Baptist Parish. What distinguishes
Evergreen from the other plantations throughout the south is that four-fifths of the early 19th
century buildings still exist and almost all of the buildings date to antebellum times.
According to Simmons, a total of 37 historic buildings, expansive sugarcane fields and
numerous 19th century trees and fences are found there today, making Evergreen one of the most
intact plantation complexes in the entire South.
In addition, a double row of 22 original early 19th century cabins, set in a 1,300 foot-long
alley of live oak trees, make up the slave quarters, which was later used by tenant farmers after
the Civil War. "This is quite unusual, and gives us an opportunity to look at the specific details of
slave life there very closely," said Simmons.
"There is so little written history of what slave life was like and how the people coped
with daily challenges and yet retained their cultural identity," said Simmons. "Archeology can
help us find the answers."
-more-
ADD ONE/Plantation
Simmons hopes to discover more information and share those discoveries between
October 15-November 15, when an organized archeological excavation of the quarters will be
will be undertaken. Simmons is encouraging volunteers, young and old, to participate in the dig,
under the supervision of trained archeologists.
In addition Simmons is giving lectures in St. John the Baptist Parish in order to encourage
participation. "The people of that area have a lot to contribute and we want to include them in
what's going on," Simmons said. He explained that many of the people in the area can trace their
ancestry to the slaves of Evergreen plantation.
Several Southeastern classes are already scheduled to join the dig on field trips.
The public is invited to participate every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.,
by appointment. Simmons and his crew will provide the equipment and on-site instruction in
archaeological field methods and techniques. Once the digging is done, an artifact analyses will
be conducted and eventually a permanent exhibit will be housed in the quarters area at
Evergreen.
Simmons, who began the work at Evergreen earlier this year, has received a $15,000
research grant from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities to continue the archaeological
investigations.
To tour or participate in the Evergreen Plantation archeological project contact Simmons
at 504-497-3231 or by email at simmonsse@compsurf.com.
-SLU-
This press release is available on the World Wide Web:
www.selu.edu/NewsEvents/PublicInfoOffice/newsf99.htm