Latta Plantation Takes on Myopic Idiots Vi Lyes and Ryan Pitkin WBTV et al.

Nothing is more repulsive to this life long Charlotte resident than myopic idiots piling on one of Mecklenburg County's most cherished landmarks, screaming about "white privilege'" and "systemic racism" before they even understand the facts.   

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles who has yet to address the endless violence in our city, was quick to jump on the "Burn Down the Plantation Movement" started by pseudo journalist Ryan Pimpkin late last week.

Said Lyles:

In response, the Historic Latta Plantation released this statement:

 Statement Regarding ‘Kingdom Coming’ Event

 Many times I have stopped at Tuskegee University in Tuskegee Alabama to visit  the Lifting the Veil of Ignorance Monument. It is a tribute to Booker T. Washington  who founded Tuskegee University. The inscription I love the most is "he lifted the  veil of ignorance from his people and pointed the way to progress through education  and industry." The statue portrays Booker T. Washington lifting a veil of ignorance  from a frightened slave, who is crouched on a plow and anvil depicting tools of  agriculture and holding a book, which represents education. Washington sought to  bring a better life to his people through education. As Chief Plenty Coups said,  “education is your most powerful weapon. With education, you are the white man’s  equal; without education, you are his victim, and so shall remain all your lives.”  

 I, Ian Campbell, as an American man of African descent and the new site  manager at Historic Latta Plantation, will lift the veil of ignorance. Under my  leadership, the Latta staff will assist in this educational endeavor. With the little  information that we have about Latta Plantation, also known as Riverside, the stories  of those enslaved as well as freedmen will be told. This new narrative will also  include the stories of other enslaved men, women, and children on many other  plantations in the United States. It will also include the stories of those enslaved and  free before, during, and after the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Mexican  American War, the American Civil War and Reconstruction.

 For decades Historic Latta Plantation has been focused on two time periods in  American history, the American Revolution and the Civil War. That is changing,  Latta will now focus on the period of reconstruction as well. Most people have  forgotten about this period in our American history. Most educators as well as most  of the general public skip this section and move on to the 1900’s or the civil rights  movement. Many of the racial issues that we face today are linked to slavery and  reconstruction. Just recently, for the first time in their lives, many people just  acquired knowledge of the Tulsa Race Massacre. History is not just about one-time period or one group of people. The program “Kingdom Coming” was created by  myself, with the help of others. I, Ian Campbell, Site Manager of Historic Latta  Plantation take full responsibility for its content entirely! To the masses on social  media and politicians, no apology will be given for bringing a unique program to  educate the public about former slaves becoming FREE!  

 The Confederacy will never be glorified, white supremacy will never be glorified,  plantation owners, white refugees or overseers will never be glorified. What will be  commemorated is the story of our people who overcame being snatched from their  loved ones in Mother Africa and taken to a new and strange land. To work from can  see to can’t see from birth to death. The fact that they survived and we are here and  continue to thrive and prosper will be glorified. 

 Swing Low Sweet Chariot was used to represent freedom on earth from plantation  owners. “What profit has a man from all his labor in which he toils under the sun?”  Ecclesiastes 1:3. The profits of these freedmen would go into their pockets and not the  pockets of their owners. To tell the story of these freedmen would be pointless if the  stories of others were not included. Many of you may not like this but, their lives  were intertwined, the stories of massa, the Confederate soldiers, the overseer, the  displaced white families. How would we know how the enslaved became free or  what their lives were like before freedom came? It didn’t happen with the stroke of a  pen. Federal troops came across many of these plantations to enforce federal laws and  many of the owners fled. What they couldn’t take with them they left behind, this  included many of their enslaved property. Considered offensive for today, the song  Kingdom Coming, The Year of Jubilo highlights the perceived enslaved view point.  The core point of this program was overlooked by scores of people.  

 Those formerly enslaved are now freedmen and have taken over the massa’s house, the house they toiled in seven days a week or in many cases on other  plantations even built. They are now living high on the hog, bottom rail on top massa.  They now control their own destiny, they have the right to decide on what they want  to do with their lives, not the plantation owner! This is what made the white  supremacist of the period mad, a former slave on equal footing with whites. The right  to get legally married, the right to sign a labor contract on their terms and conditions, the right to an education, also having children without fear of them being sold down the river.  

 The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, simply known as the  Freedmen’s Bureau, enforced many of these laws to the dismay of the white  population. All this was part of what was called reconstruction. History is not always  pretty, Juneteenth was chosen because it means freedom to many and it was a time to  celebrate and be joyful. With current events that are ongoing, America is still in  reconstruction. We have to know where we come from to understand where we are  going. It was painful, it still is painful, we have to honor our ancestors for the sake of  those that will be conceived.  

 However, freedom didn’t come in 1865 when General Gordon Grainger  announced General Order Number 3 in Galveston, Texas. Many enslaved people  began to steal themselves away when the abhorrent practice of slavery was brought to  the Americas. As Union troops occupied the south and plantations early in the war,  freedom came for many of the enslaved before Juneteenth, this included cities such as  New Orleans and plantations on both sides of the mighty Mississippi. Many people  complained about Historic Latta not doing anything for Juneteenth. Then when I  create a unique event to highlight our successful struggle out of slavery, there is  backlash from many who have never visited our historical site. William T. Sherman  had a dislike for the media of his day.

 I understand what he may have been going through. I by no means will let this  deter me and the vision of lifting the veil of ignorance. The event was canceled due to  security concerns for volunteers and staff. The media’s corps of yellow journalist had  a perfect opportunity to educate, however, they chose to whip the public into a frenzy,  it worked. “You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it's an  opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.” Rahm Emanuel. In regards  to social media, Chief Justice John Roberts said “in our age, social media can instantly  spread rumor and false information on a grand scale.”  

 It was not until after the social media frenzy that Latta received numerous emails  and phone calls about the event. I also received a phone call from Vi Lyles, the mayor  of Charlotte. As long as I have been at Historic Latta Plantation as a volunteer, then as  a part-time employee, then as the education coordinator, then as the interpretive farm  manager, then as site manager, I have never seen Vi Lyles, the Mayor of the great city  of Charlotte visit our site or any other influential and prominent government officials.  The same applies to NPR, WBTV, the Charlotte observer et al. This applies to some of  those citizens in the community that have been offended. Your opinions and concerns  

have been respectfully noted. However, after reading this, many of you will still be  offended, some will be supportive, thank you. 

 In closing, my job will be to continue to educate. Historic Latta Plantation’s  narrative will be to give a voice to our ancestors enslaved and as freedmen who were  denied a voice. We will speak for them in a compassionate, accurate, and sensitive  manner.  

Ian Campbell 

Site Manager 

Historic Latta Plantation

Ian Campbell

Campbell was defending this program that he personally created:

A program that many without knowing the creator or the content piled on to condemn. Many of these same people suggesting via Twitter that it was "time to burn down the Plantation". 

Of course some of Charlotte's classic idiots like Vilma Leake piled on as well as unexpected ones like Dianne Gallagher. 

Said the CNN correspondent re-posting the Mayor's above tweet:

"The Mayor of Charlotte, refencing this incredibly offensive event description posted (now removed) by the Latta Plantation in Huntersville for Juneteenth."

Then she added:

"It's literally so bad I thought it was fake" when I first saw the Ryan Pimpkim tweet of a screen grab. "But it was really on their site."

Apparently even the word "Plantation" is upsetting to dozens including Sada Morrison (@baccabtuscany) who tweeted "I've come to despise the word plantation and now use the word estate in place."