factually
Index/Topics/Black children as alligator bait in Louisiana (late 19th and early 20th centuries)

Black children as alligator bait in Louisiana (late 19th and early 20th centuries)

The practice of using Black children as bait to hunt alligators in Louisiana during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and the distinction between cultural representation and verified historical events.

Fact-Checks

1 result
Jan 17, 2026

What is the historical evidence for Black people being used as bait in Louisiana alligator hunts?

The historical record shows a widespread racial trope — images, jokes, postcards and newspaper items from the late 19th and early 20th centuries that depict Black children as "alligator bait" — but sc...