River Road African American Museum — Attraction in Donaldsonville

It was our first stop on our Southern Civil Rights Trip and I was filled with eager anticipation to learn! As soon as we got off the bus, Elaine welcomed us and she had on the most beautiful dress! She floated over to the first building we would sit in and showed us to our seats. We were then greeted by Darryl Hambrick, one of the founders of this museum. I was amazed when he held up a picture of Martin Luther King and pointed to his dad nearby in the photograph! Already, I felt there was a special connection to history and stories he could share with us. The River Road African American Museum is filled with so many interesting and historical items to learn from and look at!! Darryl was so gracious in explaining many things and answering any questions we had. He explained and has us think about the mental health of both the enslaver and the enslaved. He brought understanding to the long standing phrase "keep out of my kitchen" and how it deals with the matter of life and death and not just losing a job. He also told us stories about how enslavers would use their enslaved as guinea pigs for medical operations. It was awful and yet a part of history that needed to be shared. Donaldsonville was the place where the first successful c-section was performed.

One of the items that caught my eye were a pair of shackles framed in a box. I have always read and watched movies about the enslaved being bound up by these horrid items but I have never seen them in person. I almost felt it was irreverent to stare at the shackles but also to not even acknowledge that they existed.

We learned so much at this museum that we felt even though it was day 1, we could go home full with new knowledge! Nearby the museum, there are other parts to tour, such as the Church of the Ascension (beautiful building with lots of history), the school with a special garden, and a very historical Julien sugarcane planting machine.

Our visit to Donaldsonville was rich with experiences we will not forget and stories that were so special and touching. There is a lot of pain that occurred here and in history that needs to be addressed and this is a good place to...

I enjoyed the comprehensive exhibits and displays in the museum: Mardi Gras, the steamboat period, black theatre, the extensive pipe collection, the surgical and pharmaceutical supplies, the Lemann Dept Store, the slavery sections… the museum has a large historical collection representing Louisiana’s River Road. It was good to see that.

There are so many plantations along River Road. The volumes of information on the River Road Plantations must have been painstaking to collect. I found it painstaking to read. The museum attempted to lay it out by the West Bank and East Bank, beginning with a focus on New Orleans. History of each, from the time the plantation was built until the time it was lost, was provided.

I would have preferred the information in a book. Maybe a short film and/or the addition of short videos would have reduce the tedium of all the reading.

I do applaud the museum for...

Don't pass this place! It is worth your time. An amazing eye opening journey on many levels. A ton of knowledge and heart stuffed in a small package. I had a great chat with the lady who runs the museum. She told me about a little girl's wide-eyed shock upon seeing the child shackles. It is so important we don't forget history. No child should ever wear those shackles. Slavery still exists today kept neatly in the shadows. I love the early jazz origins and the claim to being the 1st for jazz. Lol Al in Treme had something else to say. What an awesome...