Over the weekend, a group of Black medical students chose to pose at a Louisiana plantation in front of a slave quarters as a way of honoring their ancestors.
The 15 Tulane University medical students posted a photo standing in front of a house on the Whitney Plantation in Wallace, Louisiana on Twitter and there have been massive accolades.
The idea of the photo, according to them, was to illustrate their presence essentially, and “the history behind where we are today”. They wore jackets from the white coat ceremony which stops at the waist, signifying they are medical students, one of the students explained.
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The post by one of the medical students, Sydney Labat which read “standing in front of the slave quarters of our ancestors, at The Whitney Plantation, with my medical school classmates. We are truly our ancestors’ wildest dreams”, has attracted tens of thousands of likes.
Standing in front of the slave quarters of our ancestors, at The Whitney Plantation, with my medical school classmates. We are truly our ancestors’ wildest dreams ✨✊? pic.twitter.com/d8E1g2Ojbm
— Syd✨ (@_botttt) December 14, 2019
Speaking about their intent on Good Morning America, Labat said: “I think I speak for myself and my classmates that it was an extremely humbling experience, to say the least. We would not be here without the strength and determination of those enslaved and their strength to live and to press on.”
According to her, the Whitney Plantation is a museum in Wallace, Louisiana, which focuses on sharing the histories of enslaved African Americans instead of the wealthy families who owned them.
Labat, 24, added that they all have their own stories but could relate and feel the power in the space. “It was incredibly unifying and hopefully that resonated when other people saw it,” she said.
Another student Russell Joseph Lede, in her second-year, also posted the picture on her Twitter handle with the caption: “We are our ancestors’ wildest dreams. In the background, an original slave quarter. In the foreground, original descendants of slaves and medical students.”
We are our ancestors’ wildest dreams.✨
— Russell Joseph Ledet, Ph.D. (@theguywithyes) December 14, 2019
In the background, an original slave quarter.
In the foreground, original descendants of slaves and medical students. #whatatimetobealive #yeahwecandoboth pic.twitter.com/INOUMmc1cx
This brave action by the students has attracted accolades and public show of love with many people commending their decision. Here are some of the Twitter reactions:
Heart-arrestingly beautiful.
— Beth Moore (@BethMooreLPM) December 16, 2019
❤️❤️❤️ Heart opening! Thank you for sharing! Is there a way to do something more with this photo- to somehow share both your individual stories as well as the stories of your ancestors? Also this deserves some media attention @NPR @nytimes @NYTHealth @latimes @washingtonpost
— Red Hoffman, MD, ND (@RedMDND) December 15, 2019
Watching this as a white Jewish/Muslim man makes tears flow like the river Jordan from my face. We have come far, but not far enough to have more of my black brothers in white coats then orange jump suits. It is our generations calling to change that.
— Joubin (@joubina) December 15, 2019
This is chilling, but EVERYTHING. So proud of all of you. Always keep your heads up, even when it seems impossible. Don’t listen to anything that says or implies otherwise. The hopes & dreams born inside that house are inside of you now. Don’t forget to pay it forward.
— Merle Carter (@emedpd) December 18, 2019
