Lead by artist Dread Scott, wearing red sash, a group of re-enactors recreate the largest slave revolt in United States history, the German Coast Uprising of 1811 in LaPlace, Louisiana, Friday, Nov. 8, 2019 with shouts of “On to New Orleans! Freedom or Death!” In 1811 Charles Deslondes led a group who attacked slave owner Manual Andry at his plantation, which still stands and is called Woodland Plantation now. John McCusker recreated Andry and was attacked at the plantation while another plantation owner recreated an attack on the Mississippi River levee in LaPlace. The rebellion got as far as modern-day Kenner, Louisiana before troops from New Orleans forced the 500 slaves back and captured many of them. Over 50 of the rebels were sentenced to death and beheaded with their heads place on pikes along the river levee while others were placed in the French Quarter in New Orleans. Dread Scott didn’t learn of the slave rebellion until recently as the rebellion is mostly unknown even to residents of St. John Parish, but Scott feels it’s important for people to know that many slaves were not passive and fought for their freedom throughout history. Photo by Matthew Hinton

PHOTOS: Hundreds gather to reenact the largest slave revolt in the U.S., just outside New Orleans

Lead by artist Dread Scott a group of re-enactors recreate the largest slave revolt in United States history, the German Coast Uprising of 1811 in LaPlace, Louisiana, Friday, Nov. 8, 2019.

by Matthew Hinton | November 11, 2019

Lead by artist Dread Scott a group of re-enactors recreate the largest slave revolt in United States history, the German Coast Uprising of 1811 in LaPlace, Louisiana, Friday, Nov. 8, 2019.

In 1811 Charles Deslondes led a group who attacked slave owner Manual Andry at his plantation, which still stands and is called Woodland Plantation now. John McCusker recreated Andry and was attacked at the plantation while John Gravois, seen here, recreated an attack of another enslaver on the Mississippi River levee in LaPlace. The rebellion got as far as modern-day Kenner, Louisiana before troops from New Orleans forced the 500 slaves back and captured many of them. More than 50 of the rebels were sentenced to death and beheaded with their heads place on pikes along the river levee while others were placed in the French Quarter in New Orleans.

Dread Scott didn’t learn of the slave rebellion until recently as the rebellion is mostly unknown even to residents of St. John Parish, but Scott feels it’s important for people to know that many slaves were not passive and fought for their freedom throughout history.

Matthew Hinton

Matthew Hinton

Matthew Hinton is a New Orleans area freelance photographer whose work has been recognized by the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) Best of Photojournalism Awards in 2014 and 2016, and by numerous awards from the Press Club of New Orleans, including the Hal Ledet President's Print Photography Award, the highest honor the Press Club can bestow upon a photographer.
Matthew Hinton has previously been a staff photographer at both of the daily newspapers in New Orleans. His work has appeared nationally and internationally through freelance work with the Associated Press and AFP, Agence France-Presse.

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