An American Slave Rebellion

The 1811 uprising on Louisiana plantations

A memorial to slaves who were executed after their failed rebellion on Louisiana plantations. Photo: Nancy Peckenham

In a secluded corner of Whitney Plantation, a former Louisiana sugar plantation that provides a window into the lives of slaves throughout the deep South, sits a memorial to the men who died for their role in America’s largest slave rebellion. In January 1811, a group of slaves launched a plan to march to New Orleans and put an end to the profitable trade in humans…