10. Invested in Building Louisiana State Penitentiary
After selling four plantations, Adelicia Acklen turned her attention to new investments—most notably, the Louisiana State Prison. She used profits from her former estates to help fund the construction of this facility, which became notorious for harsh conditions. The post-Emancipation incarceration system disproportionately targeted Black people, serving as a new form of exploitation that echoed the injustices of slavery. Acklen’s involvement ensured she continued to profit from systems of oppression. Read more
