Historic Latta Plantation Closed Amid Juneteenth Dustup

HUNTERSVILLE, NC — Historic Latta Plantation in Huntersville — embroiled in controversy over a "white refugee" program planned on Juneteenth — is closed until further notice, Mecklenburg County officials said Thursday.

The news comes two days after the county said it was ending its working relationship with the museum organization that runs operations of the antebellum home and grounds in Huntersville at the end of the month. A controversial event had been planned on June 19, or Juneteenth.

Mecklenburg County owns the 1,400-acre Latta Nature Preserve in Huntersville, and leased the historic 1800s-era home and surrounding property to Historic Latta, a non-profit organization tasked with managing programming at the site.

SEE ALSO: County To Sever Ties With Historic Latta Over Event Controversy

Earlier this month, the organization advertised the June 19 "Kingdom Coming" event as one sympathetic to the plight of "white refugees" following the end of slavery. The event was abruptly canceled last Friday after backlash from Mecklenburg County government officials and complaints from the community that it was racist.

June 19 is the annual celebration of Juneteenth, the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States.

The event description read:
"Come out to Historic Latta Plantation for a one-night event, Saturday, June 19, 2021. You will hear stories from the massa himself who is now living in the woods. Federal troops (Yankees) have him on the run and his former bondsmen have occupied his home and are now living high on the hog. Hear how they feel about being freedmen. The overseer is now out of a job. What will he do now that he has no one to oversee from can see to can't see? White refugees have been displaced and have a story to tell as well. Confederate soldiers who will be heading home express their feelings about the downfall of the Confederacy."

SEE ALSO: Biden Signs Bill Making Juneteenth A National Holiday: Replay

Mecklenburg County's Parks and Recreation Director Lee Jones notified Historic Latta leadership in a letter Tuesday that the county would not renew the lease when it expires June 30. Thursday, the site was closed.

"Over the next few months, we will evaluate the best path forward for Latta Plantation and its programming, ensuring that the site is utilized in an appropriate, forward-thinking manner," Jones said in a statement. "As our review continues, we feel it is in the best interest of the community and the property to close for now until other plans can be announced."

All previously scheduled events, including a Civil War Soldier Camp for children planned for next week, are canceled.

Latta Nature Preserve, including walking trails and the Raptor Center, remain open, the county said.

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