On October 30, the story of the Fazendeville community, once located on the grounds of Chalmette Battlefield of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve (Park), will air on New Orleans Public Television Station WLAE. “Battlegrounds: The Lost Community of Fazendeville," presented by The Meraux Foundation Docville Farm, will be featured at 7:00 and 9:00 pm.
Fazendeville was a small, yet thriving, self-sufficient community of primarily freed people of color with rich social and cultural traditions. The documentary tells the story of the 1867 founding of this community that came to be known by its residents as “The Village,” the lives of its inhabitants, and its eventual demolition by the National Park Service (NPS) to showcase the national significance of the Battle of New Orleans. Today the story of Fazendeville’s removal and the relocation of its inhabitants is understood with the advantage of hindsight. The park continues to reconcile with Fazendeville descendants and other community members to tell their stories and heal the wounds of the past.
“Fazendeville is a painful part of the park’s past, a poignant reminder of how we learn from our mistakes and why we tell untold stories,” stated Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve’s Acting Superintendent Rebecca Lasell. “This documentary provides a rich opportunity for continued sharing of what happens when one significant event is allowed to dominate over another.”
Chalmette Battlefield, located roughly 6.5 miles east of New Orleans on St. Bernard Highway, is a unit of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve within the National Park System. The park is comprised of 145 acres of lands forming the core of the scene of the 1815 Battle of New Orleans. Chalmette National Cemetery is also located on the former battlefield, established in 1864 and the final resting place for more than 16,000 interments from every major U.S. conflict between the War of 1812 and Vietnam. The Battlefield was the former home to the Fazendeville community. Long before the Battle, the land was initially used and occupied by many different Native American Tribes.
Original source can be found here.
