• Celebrity
    • Of The Essence
    • Celebrity News
    • If Not For My Girls
    • The State Of R&B
    • Time Of Essence
  • Fashion
    • 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • Red Carpet
    • Fashion News
    • Accessories
  • Beauty
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • 2023 Best In Black Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Hair
  • Lifestyle
    • Love
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Bridal Bliss
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
  • Entrepreneurship
    • Money & Career
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Shopping
  • Video
  • Events
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Of The Essence
    • Celebrity News
    • If Not For My Girls
    • The State Of R&B
    • Time Of Essence
  • Fashion
    • 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • Red Carpet
    • Fashion News
    • Accessories
  • Beauty
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • 2023 Best In Black Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Hair
      • Hair News
      • Natural
      • Relaxed
      • Transitioning
      • Weave
      • 4C
  • Lifestyle
    • Love
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Bridal Bliss
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
  • Entrepreneurship
    • Money & Career
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Shopping
  • Video
  • Events
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · News

#BlackExcellence: Viral Photo Shows Black Medical Students Posed In Front Of Former Slave Quarters

"We are truly our ancestors' wildest dreams," Sydney Labat, one of the Tulane University medical students in the photo said on Twitter.
#BlackExcellence: Viral Photo Shows Black Medical Students Posed In Front Of Former Slave Quarters
Sydney Labat
By Breanna Edwards · Updated December 6, 2020

Black people are resilient, inspiring, courageous, brave…and, indeed, our ancestors’ wildest dreams.

A group of Black medical students from Tulane University put that on full display this month, after taking photos – decked out in their white coats – in front of former living quarters where Black people were enslaved at the Whitney Plantation in Edgard, Louisiana.

According to NBC News, Russell Ledet and his classmates planned out the trip and photos, hoping to inspire others.

“Just thinking about being a Black doctor in America. I think more people should see this,” the 33-year-old second-year med student told the network.

And so, last Saturday the group of 15 traveled to the plantation, which was about 50 miles west of their school.

“Seeing that many Black students in training in one photo was striking. In a place that was dedicated to our ancestors and their struggles,” Sydney Labat, 24, one of the students featured in the photo told NBC. “We knew this photo was going to make people stop … and really think. I can say for myself, I definitely got emotional throughout this experience.”

“Standing in front of the slave quarters of our ancestors, at The Whitney Plantation, with my medical school classmates. We are truly our ancestors’ wildest dreams,” she quipped while sharing the electrifying photo to her Twitter.

Standing in front of the slave quarters of our ancestors, at The Whitney Plantation, with my medical school classmates. We are truly our ancestors’ wildest dreams ✨✊🏾 pic.twitter.com/d8E1g2Ojbm

— Syd✨ (@_botttt) December 14, 2019

That photo has since been retweeted more than 19,000 times and has garnered more than 83,000 likes.

Ledet added that the goal now is to get 100,000 of the pictures framed and distributed across classrooms, to boost representation and show Black kids that they can wear a white coat too.

“These kids need somebody who looks like them in an image in their classroom,” he added. “When that’s in their mind, that’s where their memories come from. They can be me.”

TOPICS:  black doctors matter black excellence Black representation dana blair essence live life Russell Ledet slave myth slavery Sydney Labat Tulane University Whitney Plantation
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now