The BEST explanation of how the information about the photos of Ledet and other students at the Whitney Plantation interacts with the statistics about black and African American students earning their Ph.D. each year is:
A The information about the photos introduces the significance of Ledet's achievements, and the statistics further develop and support this idea.
This option correctly identifies that the photos emphasize the importance of Ledet's accomplishments in the context of the broader statistics regarding black and African American students, highlighting the significance of these achievements within a challenging historical and social framework.