On Tuesday, March 17, Whitney Plantation will close to the public for an indefinite amount of time due to the ongoing public health issues.
Whitney Plantation has been closely monitoring the progression of COVID-19 in the State of Louisiana. Community transmission has now been confirmed. Whitney Plantation’s visitors largely come from New Orleans, the location of the bulk of Louisiana’s COVID-19 cases. Our closure is an effort to support the call for social distancing announced by Mayor Latoya Cantrell at her press conference on Sunday March 15. We encourage everyone to stay at home and limit their contact with others during this time.
This is a difficult decision, but one that we believe will help to keep our staff, visitors and community safe. We will keep all employees on full salary and benefits for the duration of this closure.
Whitney Plantation, a 501(c)(3), is the only plantation museum in the state of Louisiana with an exclusive focus on slavery. Our mission is to educate the public about African chattel slavery and its legacies through tours, exhibits, public programs and outreach. As a memorial to slavery in Louisiana, our site honors enslaved people who lived, worked, and died on Louisiana’s sugar plantations. The entire museum, with its land, buildings, exhibits and income were donated by the Founder, John J. Cummings, III to a new non-profit foundation on December 4, 2019. The Foundation now owns and operates the museum, and makes the story of slavery available to the public. We will gratefully accept donations during this difficult time, which will help to support our operating and program expenses. Donations may be made online at www.whitneyplantation.org/donate
We expect to be open again later this spring, and we look forward to greeting you then. Please check our website and social media pages for the most up-to-date information.
Ashley Rogers, Executive Director
Board of Directors:
Donna Cummings, President
Carolyn Jefferson, Secretary
Pat Vance, Treasurer
Gerri Hobdy
William Buster
Michele Brierre
Kirk Brown
Leonard Haynes
Joan Rhodes