Kingsley Plantation Historic State Park serves as a center for public education. Guided tours, interpretive programs, and special events highlight the intersection of architecture, slavery, agricultural history, and social dynamics. Living history programs recreate work routines, cooking practices, and domestic life, offering immersive experienc

Following the abolition of slavery, Kingsley Plantation faced significant economic and social challenges. Freed African Americans left the estate, seeking autonomy and landownership opportunities elsewhere. Agricultural production declined as the plantation system disintegrated, and the property changed hands several times. The main house and ou

Women, both free and enslaved, played critical roles at Kingsley Plantation. Anna Madgigine Jai, Kingsley’s wife, was instrumental in managing domestic affairs, overseeing household staff, and helping to maintain the social and economic networks necessary for plantation operation. Enslaved women contributed to both domestic and agricultural la

Kingsley Plantation was home to hundreds of enslaved people, many of whom were of African or Afro-Caribbean origin. Historical records indicate that Kingsley’s labor force was highly diverse, including individuals from West Africa, the Caribbean, and the American South. Enslaved laborers worked long hours in the fields, cultivating cotton, ind