WALLACE - Reports of removing a picture of a Louisiana slave that was taken in Baton Rouge have sparked concerns about censorship across the country. 

"This particular photograph is of someone who was enslaved in Louisiana. So for us here in Louisiana, it carries even more special significance," said Dr. Ashley Rogers, the executive director of Whitney Plantation.

Historians at Whitney Plantation say there's no definitive name for the man, but it was either Peter or Gordon. He was a slave at Lyons Plantation near Krotz Springs in December of 1862. A few months later, he escaped to Baton Rouge, where the picture of his whipped back was taken.

The photo has been making headlines after a recent report by the Washington Post said the Trump administration ordered the removal of it from a national park. The White House has since denied the allegations, but it has triggered more conversations about censorship in American history.

"I think we still have to see what's going to happen with this particular photograph, but I think people are rightly concerned about what this could signal because we are looking around at the evidence this year and seeing that there is a very real interest in censoring American history and especially these darkest parts of our history," Dr. Rogers said.

The plantation has a replicated photo of the Louisiana slave's whipped back in their Gwendolyn Midlo Hall Memorial, but Dr. Rogers says the discussion surrounding the removal of historical artifacts is very concerning.

"We should all be concerned as American citizens when our rights to learn, our rights to speak freely are, when there are attempts to censor that by the government."

Dr. Rogers says there are very few photos of enslaved people in the United States. She says photos were distributed and published widely during the 19th century.

"You are supposed to look at it because you have to confront the reality of what was happening at the time. And so having something like that be censored today, there's maybe an extra level of irony there. The whole point was that it was something that was supposed to alarm you about the reality of slavery in the United States," Dr. Rogers said.

You can find more information about Whitney Plantation here.