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MONTHLY BLOG OF THE LOUISIANA MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY (LMAAH)
COMMEMORATE LOUISIANA’S 212TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CHARLES DESLONDES HEROIC 1811 SLAVE REVOLT!
Launches December 14, 2022
Literary, Visual, and Performance Arts Contest
Monetary Prizes!
CONTEST RULES
Eligible 7th–12th grade students are challenged to (1) Learn about the history of the Charles Deslondes Heroic 1811 Slave Revolt, (2) Reflect on its impact on the lives of people and society, and (3) Produce a literary arts work, visual arts work, or performance arts work which reflects on any of the following themes:
A. The times and conditions that gave rise to the Charles Deslondes revolt
B. One or several of the leading personalities that contributed to the Charles Deslondes revolt
C. The characteristics and qualities of the masses and leaders of the Charles Deslondes revolt
D. The meaning of the Charles Deslondes revolt to the oppressed masses of people then and now
CONTEST INFORMATION
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The contest is open to 7th–12th Grades
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Deadline Extended to receive entries is Monday, February 20, 2023 at 5 p.m.
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Winners announced on February 28, 2023
Literary Arts: All literary or written submissions must be 500 – 1,000 words. Submissions should be typed and double-spaced in 12-point Times Roman font and uploaded online.
Visual Arts: Paintings, drawings, sculptures, collages, etc. using any medium will be accepted. Maximum dimensions of any work are 22 inches x 28 inches and should be submitted to the Hidden History Festival Coordinator at your school or mailed to the address below.
Performance Arts: Theater, Dance, Spoken Word, Rap, Instrumental, or Vocal Music submissions must be 3 – 5 minutes in length. Submissions should be videotaped in good, clear quality. They may be uploaded using the online form link below or saved on a flash drive and submitted to the Hidden History Festival Coordinator at your school.
Monetary Awards: Prizes will be based on content and creativity. Prizes of 1st, 2nd and 3rd places will be awarded for each of the individual categories of Literary Arts, Visual Arts, and Performance Arts. Awards of $500, $300, and $200 presented to winners on February 28, 2023.
Suggested entry fee donation $5
Using your Cash App account with ID $LMAAH
If you do not have an account, you can sign up at this link - https://cash.app/
Use the link below to the online entry form to submit
and upload your literary or performance art work
All file names to begin with participant's LAST NAME
The artist shall be responsible for mailing or shipping her/his visual art work to LMAAH’s address:
1132 Arabella Street, New Orleans, LA. 70115.
PLEASE NOTE: The Louisiana Museum of African American History (LMAAH) shall have the right to reproduce, replicate, or utilize its discretion to make use of the arts submissions but the artist shall retain sole ownership of her/his property.
For more information call 504-432-9901 email: lamuseumafrique@gmail.com
DECEMBER 2022/ VISIT US HERE: LMAAH.COM
What Should the Global Working Class
Know About the War in Ukraine?
What is this War Really About?
The war in Ukraine is a bestial dispute between two camps of thieves. In one camp is Russia, with support from its posse made up of China and North Korea. In the other camp is the United States (U.S.), with its posse of countries that make up the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), operating under the cloak of ‘supporters and defenders’ of poor Ukraine, which has been unjustly targeted by rogue Russia. The bourgeois classes of each of these two camps of thieves exploits the labor of their respective laboring classes to sustain the lavish, corrupt lifestyle for their class. The bourgeois classes of Russia, China, and North Korea own all the means of production and distribution in their respective countries, just like the bourgeois classes in the United States and its posse countries belonging to the EU and NATO.
Caption: Positioning NATO bases against Russia (source: the National Council of Popular Committees in Martinique)
The workers of these belligerent nation states are paid very low wages, consistent with poverty wages, to ensure that a surplus or profit is created from their labor. From this exploitation, from this robbery of the value that the workers create, the bourgeois classes of these two predatory camps live a life of explicit luxury and spectacle while the workers live a life of wage slavery, poverty, and wretchedness.
When the bourgeois classes of these two camps are unable to resolve their disputes with each other peacefully, these billionaire capitalists resort to war with one another. Carl von Clausewitz, a famous Prussian soldier from 1793-1815 who examined and studied war, is well remembered for concluding that “War is the continuation of politics by another means”. To defend its unjust wars, head elected officials, presidents of nations, agents of the billionaire capitalists of the two camps of thieves, speak about “protecting their state’s interests”. But to what “interests” are they referring? They are referring to the “interests” of Chevron (U.S.) Gazprom (Russia), Shell Oil (England), Engie SA (France), etc. They are referring to the “right” of the owners of Chevron, Gazprom, Shell Oil, Engie SA, etc. to exploit the people and plunder the natural resources of Ukraine and its surrounding states.
The rich billionaires of these two camps, led by the United States under President Biden and by Russia under President Putin, are aggressively pushing this war. Both countries stand to reap unimaginable, filthy profits off of this war. And, as a matter of fact, we do not see any of them or their sons or daughters dying in the wars that they organize. They send, instead, under their laws the enlisted men and women of the army, navy, air force, and marines to do their dirty fighting for them. Thus, patriotic, enlisted soldiers should not be fooled into believing that the war in Ukraine is an ethically imbalanced war between good guys and bad guys. It is a rich man’s war, fought by everyday citizens of the laboring class, for the primary benefit of the rich.
To further deceive citizens of the working class in these two camps, elected officials, government spokespersons, and commentators of the news media, promote the tale that the war in the Ukraine is to save democracy; that war in the Ukraine is to protect democracy; that war in the Ukraine is an attack on our democracy here at home. But, this rationale is yet another lie! We are told that we live in a democracy when in actuality, we live in a capitalist society where the form of governance, or the form of rule is bourgeois democracy. Unlike fascism, bourgeois democracy is indeed a liberal form of rule, but it is a form of rule led by rich billionaires, for the benefit of rich billionaires. There is no genuine democracy in either of these two camps; especially in the United States and Russia. In other words, there is no genuine working class democracy where the majority of the people who reside in the nation, governs the nation, and subsequently, protects its interests.
To justify his invasion of Ukraine, President Putin claims that Ukraine historically belonged to Russia. Therefore, only Russia has the audacious right to exploit and rule over Ukraine. No other competitor state, particularly the United States and its posse has the right to claim, rob or exploit the labor of the working class of Ukraine. It is true that Ukraine was once a part of Russia. However, following the victory of the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917, the Ukraine nation chose to exercise its right to self-determination, to separate and establish its own independent republic as a sovereign state. As its own independent republic, the quality of life for the laboring Ukrainian people was very promising under the socialist banner.
But counterrevolutionaries successfully overthrew the young Ukrainian state and replaced it with a new dictatorship of the Ukrainian bourgeoisie, which restored the previous exploitative, capitalist system. This reactionary victory set the Ukrainian revolution back. As a direct result, the current, Ukrainian government led by the installed president, Zelensky, is a continuation of that counterrevolutionary restoration. Sadly today, Ukraine is a pawn in the middle of a dispute between the two opposing, competitive camps. Despite being victimized by the two camps, everyday Ukrainian people are waging a just and heroic resistance to the Russian invader.
The aim of the Biden-led U.S. government and its posse is to capture and expand U.S. markets into Europe, i.e. eastern Europe. Like Biden, Putin seeks to capture and expand Russian markets into Europe, i.e. western Europe. The prizes for both of these camps are gas, oil, coal, wheat, grain, and technology. These major commodities fuel the homes and industries of Europe. Equally poignant, is that since the commencement of the war, additional prizes include caches of weapons, missiles, and jets. Clearly, both camps seek 100% domination of the world markets. But, both camps know that 100% domination can only be obtained by ‘eliminating’ the other camp. This is why both camps have been making war preparations with one another.
For years, the U. S. has been engineering an encirclement of Russia by recruiting more European nations to join NATO. This strategy threatens Russia geographically, and ultimately, militarily. At the same time, Russia has been maneuvering to strengthen its position to challenge and confront the U.S. and its posse. Watching these developments is like watching the movie ‘the Godfather’. All of the mobster families have their respective territories or spaces to operate. In each territory, each family understands that they have the rights to run their businesses of drug trafficking, prostitution, gambling, etc. in their agreed upon territory. But, the greed for more wealth is ‘infectious’ and sometimes a mobster family acts to take over another family’s territory. Consequently, when this happens, there is always a price to pay for such greed and treachery. The inevitable price is murder, torture, and unrestricted violence upon the territory of another treacherous family member. It is for these reasons, that the war in Ukraine is an unjust war, an imperialist war, a rich man’s war.
You young workers, women, foot soldiers, oppressed nations and nationalities of these two camps, should not have to fight this unjust war. You should not fight for the rich! But you should fight! You should fight for the rights of the working class. You should fight against the rich exploiters who make their profits from the sweat and blood of the workers. You should fight against wage reductions and increasing taxation. You should fight the rich who pimp drugs in your neighborhoods to dull the minds and destroy the bodies of young people. You should fight against the destruction of workers’ rights, women’s rights; against police and state terror. You should fight against the worsening reactionary, chauvinist and fascist ideology and policy of hatred between workers in oppressed countries around the world. You should try to understand the inimical strategies created and implemented by the two predatory camps of oppressors and thieves to forever oppress you and your people.
Understand young workers of the United States, that a study of history shows that you should not put your faith in the White House, Congress, the Democrats or Republicans. These factions are all controlled by the rich. Instead, place your faith in organizing solidarity amongst the majority, in the proper organizing of the working class to gain the necessary strength to wage a just war against the rich billionaires and their oppressive state apparatus. Place your faith in achieving political liberty and establishing the rightful rule of the majority class over the minority class of rich billionaires who presently rule the world.
This is the correct stand the working classes of the United States, Russia and the other belligerent states should adopt.
Down with the Two Camps of Thieves!
No to Unjust War! No to Imperialist War!
by Leon A. Waters
Heroes Etched in Stone!
Celebrating Juneteenth
June 2022
The most important reason to celebrate Juneteenth is: Juneteenth represents the military victory by both White and Black Union soldiers over the confederacy! In the three years that Black men fought in the Civil War, they will save the Union and emancipate themselves at the same time. Their victory ended the Confederacy’s treacherous system of chattel slavery forever. The greatest accomplishment won from the Civil War was that no man could ever own another man or woman again!
The Confederate government and the Confederate soldiers of the South fought an unjust and reactionary war, not a progressive war. Thousands of Africans fought in the ranks of the Union Army of the North; over 200,000 fought in the Union Army; and of that number, over 24,000 came from the Mississippi river parishes here in Louisiana.
During the Civil War (1861-1865), the Confederate government and its Confederate Army marched into battle for one reason: to keep and defend slavery, by keeping the Africans enslaved and horribly oppressed. At the time Louisiana seceded or separated from the Union, 47% percent of the state’s total population was enslaved. There were 350,373 persons of African descent in the state with 18,647 of them free persons. The Emancipation Proclamation did not apply to the parishes of St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Jefferson, St. John the Baptist, St. Charles, St. James, Ascension, Assumption, Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. Mary, St. Martin, and Orleans (…… Because). The Emancipation Proclamation was a political and military tactic by President Abraham Lincoln to persuade the Confederacy to end its rebellion. The proclamation, actually, did not free anyone. There were over thirty infantry, one cavalry, and one artillery unit of United States Colored Troops regiments organized in Louisiana. (The Book of Names, Vol. 2: The Southern States, published by the African American Civil War Memorial Freedom Foundation Museum, Washington, D.C.)
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But there were many more revolutionary fighters like Cailloux. Many of these Black Civil War heroes came from the plantations of St. John the Baptist and St. Charles. Some of them were:
Augustus Walker: served in Co. H 10TH Regiment U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery; from the Prospect plantation, St. Charles Parish.
Bazile Johnson: served as Private in Co. E 87th Regiment and Co. F 84th Regiment U.S. Colored Volunteer Infantry.
Benjamin Duncan: served in Co. E 16th Regiment Infantry of the Corps d’ Afrique, later changed to Co. E 87th Regiment of U.S. Colored Infantry.
Benjamin Hawkins: served in the 16th Regiment Louisiana Infantry Corps d’ Afrique; which became Co. E 87th Regiment of the U.S. Colored Infantry; and he later served in Co. F 84th U.S. Colored Infantry.
Edmund Hollingsworth: served in Co. H 10th Regiment U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery (formerly a.k.a., Edward Hollingsworth) former enslaved from the Roseland plantation (today Bonnet Carre’ spillway), former slave holder –Charles & Martha Kenner Oxley.
Hannibal Waters: served in the 1st Heavy Artillery Corps d’ Afrique later renamed Co. H 10th Regiment U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery; a run away slave, a maroon, from the Roseland plantation (today Bonnet Carre’ Spillway); former slave holder-Charles & Martha Kenner Oxley.
Harrison Alexander: served as Quartermaster Sergeant in Co. H 10TH Regiment U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery.
Harrison Roe: served in Co. H 10th Regiment U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery (formerly a.k.a. Robert Taylor); last place of residence, Sellers, Louisiana; former minister of Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church, 13 East Street, Norco, LA.
Harry Harrison: served in Co. H 10th Regiment U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery; former enslaved from the Roseland plantation (today Bonnet Carré Spillway); former slave holder-Charles & Martha Kenner Oxley.
John B. Alcee: served in Co. H 10th Regiment U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery; former enslaved property of slaveholder, John Alcee from Ascension parish; enlisted under his owner’s name; the letter ‘B’ was placed in his name by the mustering officer to distinguish him from his owner.
Joseph Duncan: served in Co. E 16th Regiment Louisiana Infantry of the Corps d’ Afrique; later the Co. E 87th Regiment U.S. Colored Infantry.
Octave Johnson: served in Co. C 15th Regiment Corps d’ Afrique; mustered in at Camp Parapet; a runaway who organized a maroon colony of runaways in St. James parish.
Pierre Sylvain: served in the 1st Regiment U.S. Native Guards (Colored) later renamed Co. B 1 Regiment Infantry Corp d’ Afrique and then called Co. B 73rd Regiment U.S. Colored Infantry. He was martyred on May 27, 1863 in the battle for Port Hudson (May-July 1863). He served under the command of the famous Andre Cailloux.
Sanders Royal: served in Co. H 10th Regiment U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery; former enslaved from the Roseland plantation (today Bonnet Carre’ Spillway); former slave holder-Charles & Martha Kenner Oxley.
Sidney Smith: served as a Private in Company H, 10th Regiment, U.S. Colored Troops Heavy Artillery; Discharged as a Sergeant.
The first two regiments composed of men of African descent were mustered into service in New Orleans in August and October of 1862. They were called the 1st and 2nd Louisiana Native Guards. Until February 1863, all line officers, captains and lieutenants, were men of African descent. These units were redesignated as 1st and 2nd Corps d’ Afrique in the summer of 1863 (and the 73rd and 74th USCT’s in 1864). The Corps d’ Afrique was composed of thirty-one regiments organized in Louisiana. All of the Corps d’ Afrique regiments were redesignated as United States Colored Troops regiments in 1864. (Ibid)
These Louisiana regiments served in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Texas. At Milliken’s Bend and Port Hudson, Louisiana they engaged in very significant battles with Confederate forces in the spring of 1863. Captain Andre Cailloux, one of the more than seventy commissioned officers of African descent, led the assault on Port Hudson, LA., on May 27, 1863.
At Port Hudson, Cailloux and eight African regiments displayed unmatched heroism and courage in the face of fire to capture Confederate positions. Though they were not successful in capturing the enemy positions, they and their white comrades, did greatly stretch the enemy’s forces and laid the foundation for the eventual defeat of the Confederates. In the May 27th battle, Captain Cailloux of the 1st Louisiana Native Guards displayed enormous courage and calm under fire. After being shot and seriously wounded he struggled to his feet and led his men in another bold assault. He was then hit again, yet he found the fortitude to continue. A third time he was shot; this time it was fatal. He died a glorious death for the cause of freedom.
Many of these noble men were the descendants, the children and grandchildren of Louisiana’s Heroic 1811 Slave Revolt where the main theater of the revolt took place here in St. Charles and St. John the Baptist parishes.
Many of you here today probably have a Civil War hero in your family tree.
Although Black soldiers in alliance with White Union troops defeated chattel slavery and the Confederacy, the ideology of white supremacy was not defeated. Today, Black people suffer double oppression in two different forms. Economically, Black people suffer from wage slavery or poverty wages that are critically low minimum wages which are insufficient for anyone to live on. And additionally, is the foul ideology of white supremacy which promotes the arrogant and erroneous assumption that whites are superior to Blacks. This dual form of oppression is the root of the economic, political, social, and military oppression that Black people suffer from today. That is why the suppression of Black peoples’ voting rights is not surprising. That is why the police killings of Black people is escalating. That is why the greed of the rich petrochemical and industrial polluters and the seizure of Black people’s cemeteries is going unabated. That is why the accurate teaching of Black history in schools is under attack. We are under attack today because of the greed of the rich white oppressor class. And this oppression has to stop . . .stop now!
We as Black people, as African Americans, as a nation of people trapped in the clutches of the rich billionaires-millionaires are not completely free. To get out of this trap, we have to rebuild the militant, radical, revolutionary movement of the 60’s & 70’s to win our complete freedom today!
For the Complete Emancipation of the African American Nation!
Including the Right to Political Secession for the Black Belt South!
Upcoming Events
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A Talk by Leon A. Waters
(delivered @ Juneteenth Celebration - July 10, 2021, Norco, LA.)
Chairperson of the Louisiana Museum of African American History (LMAAH)
What Should the Global Working Class Know About the War in Ukraine?
What is this War Really About?
P.O. Box 850906 / New Orleans, Louisiana 70185
Email: lamusemafrique@gmail.com – 504-432-9901
For More Information: