Walking Tour

On Thursday, some of us went on the walking tour downtown. The walking tour was directed by Walter Johnson. He is a Harvard historian who specializes in slavery. Although he is a witty man, he is not hot (Dr. Hunt says you will never hear hot and historian in the same phrase). Luckily, the weather was beautiful and the tour was great.

I have to admit I wasn't extremely excited for the walking tour. I was tired that day and had visitors coming that night. However, I am so very glad I went! I learned not only about slavery in New Orleans, but slavery throughout the States. I realized that many of the facts and conceptions I had myself about slavery are in fact not true. I of course had to ask a lot of questions to find this out, but my mom always said you can't learn without asking. I have taken that advise to heart - probably to the dismay of many of my teachers :). My first misconception was that nearly anyone and everyone who was white and owned property also owned slaves. This is in fact wrong. Johnson said that it costs nearly $1,200 for a slave. This amounts to between $25,000 and $30,000 today. Although I have no real understanding of money these days, I think of that is the price of a car. Well sure, most middle class families today own two or three cars. However, cars are paid with through a down payment and then monthly payments. BUT, slaves could not be paid for in payments and down payments. Therefore that $1,200 would have to be paid in full. Most middle class families today could not afford to pay $25,000-$30,000 upfront in full today for a car so they probably could not afford to pay $1,200 upfront back then. Nearly 40% of New Orleans population during the Antebellum period was white landowners WITHOUT slaves.

My next question was about the title given to the period. The period of heavy slave trade in New Orleans (and in the United States) is referred to as the Antebellum Period. Antebellum means before war. This period was of course pre- Civil War. However, it's kind of a stupid name to give to the period if you consider that fact that people weren't aware that it was a pre- war period while it was going on.

Despite my first notions of not wanting to go on the walking tour, I ended up really enjoying it. It was interesting and very educational. And as always in the French Quarter, we experienced fumbling drunks, magicians, palm readers, and wreckless drivers.