Katy Morlas Shannon & The Enslaved Man behind the Pecan Industry

In this episode, we're joined by author and historian Katy Morlas Shannon to discuss her book "Antoine of Oak Alley". The story of Antoine is emblematic of countless enslaved people whose lives and contributions have been overlooked. Antoine, the enslaved gardener of Oak Alley Plantation, was one of the first people to successfully propagate the pecan tree, yet he exists only as a footnote in the bigger story of Oak Alley Plantation. His pioneering work enabled large groves of trees to be planted creating a lucrative commercial crops and though his horticultural achievement has long been legend, virtually nothing is known about his life.
In this episode, we chat about how we reconstruct these types of histories and how we engage with these complicated stories from a vastly different time.
Check out Katy's work and other books at: https://www.katymshannon.com/
 
Check out the corresponding substack article for resources, citations, and more information! https://poorprolesalmanac.substack.com/p/pecans
 
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