A devastating fire completely destroyed the Nottoway Plantation – a famous Antebellum architectural icon in Louisiana, USA – on May 15, 2025. However, what caused a stir in public opinion was not only the cultural loss, but also the shocking reaction of actor Will Smith, when he expressed his “joy” at this event.
In a post that went viral on social media, an account named Will Smith posted the following: “It was right to burn. For what that place once represented – suffering, oppression and the blood of our ancestors – it deserved to burn down long ago.
” The post quickly received hundreds of thousands of interactions, with reactions sharply divided between those who sympathized with it and those who were outraged.
Nottoway Plantation – Architectural beauty or legacy of slavery?
Nottoway was built in 1859 and is the largest remaining plantation in the pre-Civil War South. With 64 rooms, its elaborate architecture blends Neoclassical and Italianate styles, and it has been a popular tourist destination and a venue for lavish weddings and events. However, what has made Nottoway controversial is its history of using more than 150 slaves to run the plantation, representing a dark period in American history.
The online community is divided
The statement attributed to Will Smith has sparked a fierce debate. Some in the black community have expressed sympathy for his views, arguing that honoring and preserving relics related to slavery is “recreating collective pain”. One user wrote: “It’s not architecture – it’s a symbol of brutality. Let it be ashes.”
Many, however, object to this depiction, arguing that Nottoway Plantation is an important part of history, and should be preserved to remind posterity of past wrongs, not to glorify them. “Destroying history does not heal wounds – it only takes away the opportunity to learn from mistakes,” said one local historian.
The Nottoway Plantation fire went beyond the realm of routine—it reignited a never-ending debate about how America should deal with its slave past. And one tweet, true or false, was enough to set the tone.
