My trip to Oak Alley Plantation on Wednesday afternoon provided a glimpse into 19th-century Southern life. The first thought that came to mind when I arrived there was Gone With the Wind. Observing the tour guides standing at the end of the path leading to the mansion, I couldn't help but notice that they resembled a poor man's version of Scarlett O'Hara with their puffy blouses and full skirts.
The tour focused on the Roman family, a clan of French aristocrats who made their fortune in sugar planting. To the plantation's credit, the issue of slavery isn't glossed over ... but it's not dwelled on, either. (This database on Afro-Louisiana history and genealogy may be of interest to readers.) I found it ironic that the dichotomy of rich versus poor co-existing in the same territory still prevails in the 21st century -- serving as further proof that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
