[5] By the late 18th century, French and European colonial settlers had established numerous sugar cane plantations.

As sugar cane cultivation was highly labor-intensive, the slave population greatly outnumbered the ethnic Europeans in the colony, a circumstance that continued after the Louisiana Purchase by the United States in 1803.

On January 8, 1811, planters were alarmed by the German Coast Uprising led by Charles Deslondes, a free person of color from Haiti (formerly the French colony of Saint-Domingue).

[6] Deslondes led followers to the plantation of Col. Manuel André, where they had hoped to seize stored arms, but those had been moved.

The white militia and troops killed 95 slaves in total, many immediately and others in executions after quick trials.

[9] In 2021, Hurricane Ida passed through the area, leaving the oil refineries/chemical plants spewing toxic chemicals through flaring.