A Thibodaux native, Director Christina Hill wants to shed light on a devastating event that remains largely unknown despite its toll. She is joined by a team of Black women, all connected via their membership in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and their ties to Louisiana.

 

ABOUT THE PROJECT

In Thibodaux, Louisiana (once called "Thibodeauxville"), few people can agree on what happened the night of November 23, 1887. The events would become known as the Thibodaux Massacre, and according to John DeSantis’ book, The Thibodaux Massacre: Racial Violence and the 1887 Sugar Cane Labor Strike, “White vigilantes gunned down unarmed black laborers and their families during a spree lasting more than two hours. The violence erupted due to strikes on Louisiana sugar cane plantations. Fear, rumor, and white supremacist ideals clashed with an unprecedented labor action to create an epic tragedy.”

There is little consensus on anything about that fateful day: the number of dead bodies, though the official count was set at eight; where the bodies were buried, though folklore points to the grounds beneath Raymond Stafford Post 513 - the "Black" American Legion Hall; or, who shot first, though some have suspected Andrew Price, a former attorney, sugar cane planter, and congressman.

 

For many natives and residents of Thibodaux, the mere mention of the massacre brings shame, pain, and outright anger. That is, of course, if they've heard about it at all. Yet, in some ways, the 1887 Sugar Cane Labor Strike, that resulted in the Thibodaux Massacre, can be credited with having spurred modern labor and civil rights movements, while simultaneously striking fear and intimidation that has paralyzed the town’s Black community for generations.

 

THE IMPORTANCE

The power structure of Thibodaux remains largely influenced by a handful of families who have enjoyed generational wealth in a town of nearly 15,000 mostly white (60%) residents. We also know that in recent years there has been a sharp rise in violent hate crimes perpetrated by throngs of white nationalist and domestic terrorist groups. Despite a centuries-old problem where some white Americans have used violence as a tool to control others, Black people remain resilient and hopeful...But can a small town ever really heal its wounds and be fully resilient, if it never reconciles with its past?

 

 

OUR APPROACH

In many ways, the town of Thibodaux is separated along color lines. So, we will begin, in black and white film, comparing and contrasting the homes, neighborhoods, schools, and churches that serve Thibodaux's Black and white residents. Then, through interviews and oral history, animation, archival newspapers and photographs, tours of former sugar cane plantations and other landmarks, recent news coverage, and book excerpts, we will piece together the events that led to the labor strike and ultimately the massacre. Finally, we will close by hearing from current residents about their hope for Thibodaux, as well as by capturing the town's growth.

 

 

CURRENT STATUS / NEXT STEPS

We are currently in production for THIBODEAUXVILLE. We have optioned the rights to John DeSantis' book, The Thibodaux Massacre: Racial Violence and the 1887 Sugar Cane Labor Strike. Additionally, we have already filmed key interviews on location in Thibodaux, LA. There are still several interviews and shots that we would like to film; however, due to challenges faced because of COVID-19, and now Hurricane Ida, we are unable to continue with filming at this time. Because this documentary revolves around the sugar cane industry, we would like filming to coincide with the sugar cane grinding season.

 

ADDITIONAL FUNDS

If we raise additional money, we would like to dedicate funds to raising awareness of this issue in Lafourche Parish schools. Not much information has been taught about the Thibodaux Massacre, even though it brought an end to organized farm labor in the South for almost four decades. We will contribute to art and essay contests to ensure that students understand the great lengths that Black workers have consistently had to fight for equal and fair conditions and liveable wages. We would also like to support a mission to locate the final resting place of the men and women who died as a result of this massacre. It is said that they are buried in an unmarked grave somewhere in town, but it has not been located.