Carencro Unveils Memorial to Lynching Victims Louis Senegal and Antoine Domingue
The Carencro community has unveiled a memorial marker honoring lynching victims Louis Senegal and Antoine Domingue, the first of its kind in Lafayette Parish. This initiative aims to raise awareness about historical racial terror and promote reconciliation. The event also highlights the personal connection of descendants, emphasizing the importance of remembering and educating future generations.
The community of Carencro has inaugurated a historical marker that pays tribute to Louis Senegal and Antoine Domingue, two Black men who were lynched in Louisiana’s tumultuous past. This marker, located at 409 Veterans Dr., marks the first official recognition of lynching victims within Lafayette Parish. Through this marker, organizers aim to enhance public awareness regarding the history of racial terror and to foster reconciliation within the community.
At the unveiling ceremony held on March 29, the Move the Mindset organization, in collaboration with the Lafayette Parish Community Remembrance Project, sought to remember the impact of racial violence that occurred during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The permanent tribute commemorates both Senegal and Domingue, whose tragic deaths reflect a painful legacy of racial injustice in the Southern United States, entailing over 6,500 lynchings of Black individuals from 1865 to 1950, with Louisiana being responsible for at least 615.
Ola Prejean, President of Move the Mindset, emphasized the significance of this marker as a tool for education and reflection on this dark chapter in American history. “It was, of course, during a time when white campers and white supremacy took over the legal system,” Prejean noted, highlighting the challenges faced in achieving justice. He added that the presence of the marker enables residents to engage with the historical narrative of Senegal and Domingue, which has often been overlooked in mainstream accounts.
Prejean remarked, “There is a chance for truth-telling, acknowledgment, and reconciliation around these tales,” underscoring the importance of bringing these stories to light. He urged that such remembrance is crucial for community healing, stating, “If society keeps things in the dark, we don’t have a chance to learn from our history.”
Attendees of the unveiling, including Maya Senegal, a descendant of Louis Senegal, shared their personal connections to the event. Maya expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to commemorate her great-great-grandfather, stating, “This is a blessing. To come here and be a part of history, I can cry.” She emphasized her intent to keep her family history alive and instill a sense of pride and awareness in future generations, ensuring that stories of the past continue to resonate in the community.
The unveiling of the historical marker for Louis Senegal and Antoine Domingue in Carencro signifies a crucial step toward acknowledging the legacy of racial violence in the United States. This event encourages truth-telling and reconciliation while providing a permanent memorial to the lives lost due to lynching. By educating future generations, the community aims to honor the memory of past victims and foster an understanding of historical injustices.
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