Preserving American History: Supporting Freedmen’s Settlements and Historic Black Towns
By Jacqueline Patterson, Executive Director
The recent decision by the National Park Service to withdraw Louisiana’s Great River Road region — home to numerous historic African American communities — from consideration for National Historic Landmark designation underscores an urgent reality: historic Black communities established by formerly enslaved people, known as Freedmen’s Settlements or historic Black towns, face mounting threats not just from environmental challenges, but also from policy decisions that prioritize industrial development over cultural preservation. These irreplaceable pieces of American history demand immediate protection action.
Between 1865 and 1930, formerly enslaved people demonstrated remarkable and indomitable spirit by pooling their resources to purchase land and build more than 1,200 independent, self-sustaining communities across America. Today, these Freedmen’s Settlements and historic Black towns — from Mossville, Louisiana to Africatown, Alabama — represent extraordinary examples of community self-determination and resilience.
Across the United States today, we find these historic places now lack basic infrastructure. In Mossville, founded in the 1790s, residents struggle without reliable utilities while confronting industrial encroachment. In Grambling, Louisiana, another historic Black community, residents face persistent challenges with water infrastructure while working to preserve their legacy as a center of Black education and achievement. These communities also face mounting threats from severe weather, crumbling infrastructure, and development pressure. These irreplaceable pieces of American history demand immediate preservation action.