The African American Experience in Louisiana

ASSOCIATED PROPERTY TYPES
As the preceding Background History and Development demonstrates, the African
American Experience in Louisiana is a dense and complicated topic and there are therefore many
associated property types that bear significance to it. The below property types are organized
primarily according to their use. Properties that had multiple historic uses have been placed in
the use category for which they are most significant. The final category is districts, which
includes sites comprised of multiple properties and may be of mixed use. Within each use
category are multiple subcategories that more specifically identify the nature and time period of
buildings and sites that fall into these umbrella categories. This method of organization was
designed to facilitate the identification of a property’s significance in relation to the context of
the background history provided above. This list of associated property types is intended to be
suggestive, not restrictive. Every attempt was made to list and describe every type of property
that might be associated with this context, but should a property type not covered on this list be
discovered to have significance to this context, its absence from this section by no means
precludes its eligibility. It should be noted also, that this section speaks primarily of buildings,
districts, and some sites because those were the properties of significance identified during this
project, but structures and objects are also potentially eligible properties.
Although the properties associated with this context are numerous, not every property
connected with African Americans or the African American experience possesses the kind of
distinctive significance in association with this context that would qualify it for National Register
nomination. It is possible for a property to have had a long association with African Americans
without having a demonstrable significance in African American history. The evaluation of any
property for the National Register must include a careful consideration of its essential
significance to our local, state, or national history. The specific area of significance for which a
property associated with this context would be nominated is “Ethnic Heritage: Black.” This
category is defined by the National Register as, “The history of persons having origins in any of
the black racial groups of Africa.” 231 Properties nominated for this area of significance would
need to demonstrate a specific role in the themes or events of the African American experience.
The above background history provides an overview of that experience to aid in the
identification of pertinent themes and events. In some instances an African American property
might be more aptly nominated for its significance in another area such as “Agriculture” or
“Architecture.” In such cases, however, it remains important to record the property’s African
American associations, and “Ethnic Heritage: Black” may be a secondary area of significance.
When nominating properties for “Ethnic Heritage,” it is also necessary to identify the specific
aspect of the history to which this significance relates by selecting a subcategory such as
“Education” or “Health/Medicine.” Many, but not all of the below property type designations
relate to such subcategories. Function should not be confused with area of significance. For
further guidance on selecting areas of significance and other topics related to National Register
nomination see the National Register Bulletin How to Complete the National Register
Registration Form (accessible online at
http://www.nps.gov/history/nr/publications/bulletins/nrb16a/) and advice from the Louisiana
231 National Register Bulletin 16A, How to Complete the National Register Registration Form (Washington, D.C.,
Department of the Interior, National Park Service, 1977), 40.
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