The Descendants Project Victorious After Greenfield Louisiana, LLC Halts Industrial Development Plans
August 06 2024 - 10:47PM
WALLACE, La. (Aug. 6, 2024)—The Descendants Project praised today
the decision by Greenfield Louisiana, LLC on Tuesday to withdraw
plans to build what would have been one of the world’s largest
grain terminals in St. John the Baptist Parish, a historically
Black community in Louisiana’s “Cancer Alley” with ties to slavery.
Dr. Joy Banner and Jo Banner, sisters and co-founders of The
Descendants Project, engaged in a legal and public relations fight
against the proposed terminal, which would have harmed their
community’s livability and jeopardized historic landmarks tied to
slavery.
“We’ve fought for three long years to save the community, way of
life, and heritage we love. Now the real work begins. We look
forward to working with the community to heal, preserve, and build
a healthy, bright future together,” said Dr. Joy Banner and Jo
Banner in a statement. “We want to thank our attorneys, supporters,
and community members for trusting and fighting alongside us.”
The proposed terminal would have included 56 grain silos and
multiple structures nearly as tall as the Statue of Liberty that
would have pumped 139 tons of dust and pollution into the community
annually. The Parish at the center of the fight was settled by
Black Union soldiers following the Civil War.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers determined that Whitney
Plantation, Evergreen Plantation and Oak Alley Plantation, in
addition to the historically Black burial ground Willow Grove
Cemetery, would all be adversely impacted by the proposed grain
terminal. In light of the proposed project, the National Trust for
Historic Preservation named the 11-mile corridor along the
Mississippi River as one of its “11 Most Endangered Historic
Places” in 2023.
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The Descendants Project is a 501c3 nonprofit organization
established to support descendant communities in river parishes
working together to dismantle the legacies of slavery and to
achieve a healed and liberated future.
Kimberly Hefling
The Descendants Project
kimberly.hefling@gmmb.com