Byline: George Getschow; 1983-06-23; Wall Street Journal; pages p1
Report: "Dirty Work" - George Getschow - Wall Street Journal
Tags: day laborer, oil industry, posed as, Wall Street Journal, worked as
Article Links"Morgan City, La. - In the early 1800s, when labor shortages threatened to stop the expansion of sugar-cane cultivation in this swampy part of southern Louisiana, some European settlers seized the opportunity to strike it rich by selling slaves to the landowners. Soon the slave trade flourished throughout St. Mary's Parish. Traders became wealthy plantation owners, and their descendants are still among the socially prominent here. . . . "
Description:Part Two of George Getschow's "Dirty Work" series for the Wall Street Journal for which he lived and worked among oil industry day laborers. The series was a Pulitzer finalist in 1984.
Rights: Restricted access to online material.