Dramatic Works // Queen Sugar & St. Joseph Plantation
by Alvin Conley, special sections editor & Amber Burton, managing editor
The Struggle to Work // The Thibodaux Massacre
by Rachel Klaus, co-features editor Work in the Bayou Region, just like much of the South, has many roots in slavery. Slaves were often field hands for sugar plantations, doing everything from planting the sugar cane, to plowing the fields, to harvesting and then making the sugar. And neither the work itself or the system for work were easy or pretty. One of the Bayou Region’s most violent examples of working in the shadows of slavery came on Nov. 23, 1887, when nearly 60 unarmed black laborers and their families were killed in Thibodaux by white vigilantes following a three-week sugar cane labor strike, according to John DeSantis in his 2016 book “The Thibodaux Massacre.” The estimated 10,000 laborers from Lafourche and three surrounding parishes went on strike for a livable wage to be paid in U.S. money rather than plantation script that could only be used at an individual, specific plantation store. “What they were paid, was essentially not enough,” DeSantis said. “They wanted a dollar a day and $1.25 a day if they worked through the night. They just did not want to be paid in script anymore.” The strike, in the middle of the harvest season, came after the plantations ignored the laborers’ demands for weeks. “Both sides were in fear and distrustful to one another,” DeSantis said. “A couple of days before the massacre Judge Taylor Beattie ordered a state of martial law so no one could enter or leave town. It made the strikers even more afraid. There were just so many factors that led up to the massacre.” In the end, the shooting lasted for more than 2 hours and killed men, women and children. And the effect on work in the Bayou Region would be the passage of laws by white democrats keeping sugar cane workers from organizing until the 1940s. Sugar cane workers loading mule-drawn cart (undated). Credit: Nicholls State Archives Workers on Laurel Valley rail car (20th century). Credit: Nicholls State Archives Owners of Laurel Valley among others in wagon with two plantation workers standing (20th century). Credit: Nicholls State Archives Worker fertilizing sugar cane at Laurel Valley using a mule-drawn car (1954). Credit: Nicholls State Archives Worker fertilizing sugar cane at Laurel Valley using a mule-drawn car (1954). Credit: Nicholls State Archives Laurel Valley Sugar House after a September 1965 hurricane. Credit: Nicholls State Archives Laurel Valley Plantation house (20th century). Credit: Nicholls State Archives Most likely Laurel Valley Sugar House (20th century). Credit: Nicholls State Archives Men with horse and farm equipment in sugar cane field (20th century). Credit: Nicholls State Archives Previous Next
Work from the Heart // Conley Catering
by Alvin Conley, special sections editor Dishes clinging, food sizzling, and heat refusing to go unnoticed all while the soft R&B music plays in the background could only mean one thing in the Conley household: Grandma’s in the kitchen again. The smells of different meats, vegetables and desserts creep their way out of the kitchen and take over the house. Shortly after, one by one, pots filled with beans and gumbos, pans containing pastas and meats, and trays filled with cakes and cookies make their way to the dining room, where everyone (and their taste buds) gather to prepare for another Diane Conley meal. Located in Houma, Louisiana, Conley Catering owner, Diane Conley, has been running her own catering company for about 10 years. Diane began dibbling and dabbling in the kitchen as a teenager, but really began to take cooking serious in her early 20s. “I knew it had to be a natural talent when people constantly complimented my dishes,” Diane said. Now, over 40 years later, Diane loves to cook as much as when she was younger. In real estate, it’s said that the most important part is location, location, location, and in any culinary related field, Diane said the most important part is presentation, presentation, presentation. “I like for a person to eat with their eyes before tasting a dish and the only way to accomplish that is through presentation,” she said. Houma resident, Pamela Reich said that she loves ordering from the Diane — not only because she’s a local, family-owned business, but because you can see the love and hard work that goes into every dish. “Every year when [Diane] does orders for either Thanksgiving or Christmas I make sure to order food and two sweet potato pies; one for the family dinner and another for myself,” Pamela said. On top of being the owner of a catering company, Diane has been a Full Service Manager at TARC Restaurant & Gift Shop located at 1315 Grand Calliou Road, in Houma, Louisiana for over 24 years. At TARC, which is a facility that trains mentally and physically disabled persons to become independent livers, Diane manages the restaurant, gift shop and cafeteria. Paula Murray, a client of TARC, said that she enjoys working with Diane. Paula, along with the other students/clients of TARC typically work in the restaurant as servers. “Ms. Diane is nice,” said Paula. “She helps us in the restaurant and sometimes we help her cook.” Diane said that the clients help her make things such as salads, and while they no longer do any major cooking, they would often help make fried foods and breakfast items. “Ms. Diane is a good teacher,” Paula added. “She makes sure we know exactly what to do so the food is perfect when we serve it.” With her culinary background being rooted in South Louisiana, Diane said that bread pudding, sweet potato pies, seafood tarts and chicken sausage gumbo are her most frequently requested items, and she personally enjoys making meatloaves and different types of beans. “Know that there’s more to being a culinary cook or chef than cooking,” Diane said. There’s purchasing, preparation and cleaning involved, but if you love it, it’s all worth it.” https://youtu.be/hwbLZ87zL94
A Working History // Laurel Valley
by Rachel Klaus, Co-Features Editor Nestled two miles below the city of Thibodaux is the South’s largest surviving sugar plantation complex, Laurel Valley. This beautiful southern plantation is the home to animals, and a workplace for local volunteers. Danny Foret has been volunteering at the Laurel Valley Village for almost 15 years. What started out to be a once-a-month job turned into being an everyday job since he retired. He runs the museum, spring and fall festivals and tends to the animals. “I enjoy it and it gives me something to do,” he says. “This is the kind of place that you can be as busy as you want. Sometimes I am either tied down doing things inside or I am doing stuff outside.” In the early 1800s, slaves that resided on the plantation built their own homes out of the area’s cypress wood. More than 60 cabins are still standing on the land today. In 1905 it was recorded that there were 150 cabins still standing, but some were lost in hurricanes or have been condemned. Foret says the cabins, and the history of it are why people are so amazed when they come to visit the plantation. In fact, people come from all over the world to visit Laurel Valley. “I think it is because of its historical significance, he says. “People like to take a look in to the past and see how things were back in the day. The furthest I think someone has travelled to see the plantation was from Australia. We’ve had people all over the world like China, India, European countries, South America and even Africa.” Some people like to come and learn about the ghost stories that have been told on the grounds. Most plantations in the South have some kind of supernatural appearance, and Laurel Valley is not any different. “A policeman told me once that he saw a little girl on a bicycle as he was driving through the village and all of a sudden she disappeared right in front of him,” Foret says. “Another person said they saw a prisoner chain gang in striped jump suits cross the road and they disappeared in the cane field. Some people tell me they see people in the windows of the old houses and some see a woman in a rocking chair on the front porch. However, I’ve never seen them, nor have I really looked for them.” One of Foret’s main jobs is to take care of the animals that reside there. Animals of all types and breeds. Chickens, cats, goats, pigeons, peacocks, guinea pigs, pigs and ducks. There is one animal in particular that he has grown very fond of, a cat named Miss Kitty that he likes to call “My Girl.” Miss Kitty was dropped off a few years ago and has since made the Laurel Valley store her home. She roams the store and front porch everyday while keeping Foret and visitors entertained. He says while stroking her soft grey fur, “We have had as many as 35 cats that were dropped off here. We were fortunate that we have found a home for all of them. I kept Miss Kitty because she just has something special. She is very sweet and guests love her. Kids come over just to play with her.” Part of what makes this village so unique is the animals. Some visit just to see all of the animals. What is interesting, however is how the village began to take care of the different varieties of animals. It started when Foret bought 25 chickens nine years ago. Since then locals kept bringing more and more animals for him to take care of. “People just keep dropping the animals off. Almost every animal we have someone has dropped off. I just can’t say no. I feel like I have to take care of them or find a good home for them. ” Each animal has a name, except for the chickens because there are so many. The pigs are named “Steve,” “Fat Boy” and “Bacon.” Foret says Steve and Fat Boy were once 4-H projects and Bacon was born a house pig. “The owners of Bacon were given an ultimatum. It was either them or the pig. Otherwise they would have to move out of their trailer.” Before volunteering at Laurel Valley, Foret worked at Texaco for 33 years. He says after he retired he grew tired of fishing. “I retired 15 years ago and I fished the first two years of my retirement. I fished for five days a week and then I got tired of it. I picked up my fishing lines and started volunteering here.” Laurel Valley became a “village” in 1978. It was incorporated as a non-profit group’s charged with the direct purpose of directing and restoring the grounds. The store/museum was built in 1906 and boasts old farm equipment and other memorabilia from the 19th and 20th centuries. It also features crafts and arts made by locals. Foret even sells his own crafts and art. His photographs are for sale, ranging from $10 to $70. He also built wooden models that remind him of the plantation. Models like pirogues, churches and even an outhouse. His wooden figures he says aren’t for sale, but it flatters him when people ask to buy them. “Sometimes I have a lot of time on my hands. I like to do things to occupy my time. I built the Laurel Valley Church last summer. It took three months to build. I thought it was neat because it has a unique steeple. The church’s steeple does not have a triangular top; its rectangular instead.” Other crafts in the store are from local vendors. Earrings, photographs, books, baby bonnets, Cajun signs and old stationary can be purchased. All of the profits made in the store go straight to the upkeep and restoration of the plantation. Laurel Valley was built around 1790 by Frenchman Etienne Boudreaux who