The African American Experience in Louisiana

outstanding collections of slave quarters in the state are the twenty-two frame cabins of
Evergreen Plantation in St. John the Baptist Parish and the eight brick slave cabins at Magnolia
Plantation in Natchitoches Parish (Figures 3 and 4). These quarters, plus the entire plantation
complexes, demonstrate the power of setting to enhance the significance of a single historic
resource.
2. Antebellum houses of Free People of Color
a) Urban
The free black population of Louisiana, which was one of the largest in the nation by the end of
the antebellum period, contributed significantly to the built heritage of the state. In addition to
being property owners who commissioned the construction of homes, many Free People of Color
were carpenters, joiners, plasterers, masons, and blacksmiths who built many homes. Despite the
number of urban homes attributable to original ownership by Free People of Color, especially in
New Orleans, only one individually listed on the National Register was identified during this
project. It is possible that there are urban residences of Free People of Color listed on the
National Register for their architectural significance under Criterion C with no mention of the
association with Free People of Color in their nominations. This is the case for the one identified
example. It may also be that individual listing has not been pursued for the many houses of Free
People of Color that fall into existing Historic Districts.
In order to be eligible for listing on the National Register, the urban residence of a Free Person of
Color should retain the minimum integrity level of being recognizable to someone from the
historic period and its role in the life of a Free Person of Color must be well documented. A
building associated with a Free Person of Color for just a few years is not likely eligible for this
area of significance unless that period contained an important event or unless it is the only
surviving building associated with a significant free person of color. There were many noted
artists, writers, and business people among Free People of Color and there is good potential for
the identification of buildings eligible for their association with these significant individuals and
the historical experiences of Free People of Color. Residences may be the only remaining
buildings connected to the story of manumission of enslaved people, particularly by selfpurchase,
and the hard work and challenges they overcame to transition themselves and their
families into a free life. Evidence indicates that many urban Free Women of Color built wealth
through real estate investments, while other Free People of Color operated their businesses from
their homes. Houses were also the potential sites of surreptitious religious or political meetings,
or venues for schools, and could be nominated for these associations under Criterion A as well.
Examples of individual houses listed on the National Register for these types of associations with
the lives of free blacks are the Mann-Simons Cottage in Columbia, South Carolina and the
Denmark Vesey House in Charleston, South Carolina. 237 The Mann-Simons Cottage, the home
of a professional midwife named Celia Mann was constructed c. 1850. The congregation of the
First Calvary Baptist Church, one of the first black churches in the area, of which Mann was a
founding member, met in the house. Mann’s son-in-law, Bill Simons was a noted musician.
This building was nominated for its significance in the areas of Ethnic Heritage, Religion, and
Music. The Denmark Vesey House was named a National Historic Landmark for its significance
237 Beth Savage, African American Historic Places (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1994), 434-436, 451.
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