Friday, June 24, 2016

162. David Armand, part 1

162. Part 1 of our interview with David Armand. David was born and raised in Louisiana. He has worked as a drywall hanger, a draftsman, and as a press operator in a flag printing factory. He now teaches at Southeastern Louisiana University, where he also serves as associate editor for Louisiana Literature Press. In 2010, he won the George Garrett Fiction Prize for his first novel, The Pugilist's Wife, which was published by Texas Review Press. His second novel, Harlow, was published by Texas Review Press in 2013. David's third novel, The Gorge, was published on October 1, 2015, by Southeast Missouri State University Press, and his chapbook, The Deep Woods, was published in September by Blue Horse Press. David's memoir, My Mother's House, was published in March 2016 by Texas Review Press.
  1. This week in Louisiana history. June 26, 1805. Former V.P. Aaron Burr arrives in New Orleans.
  2. This week in New Orleans history. June 25, 1978.  Rev. A. L. Davis died. Abraham Lincoln (A.L.) Davis, born on November 2, 1914, was a founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) and the first African American city councilman in New Orleans. He was born in Bayou Goula, Louisiana and moved to New Orleans in 1930.  He served as pastor of New Zion for forty-three years.  In 1957, Rev. Davis and a group of civil rights activists met at New Zion to organize the SCLC. The group chose as its first president Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rev. Davis became its first vice president.  In 1975, he became the first African-American to serve on the New Orleans City Council.
  3. This week in Louisiana.
    25th Annual Lebeau Zydeco Festival
    July 2nd, 2016
    Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Grounds
    103 Lebeau Church Road,
    Lebeau, LA 71345
    337-351-3902
    877-948-8004
    Website
    Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Grounds
    Enjoy live zydeco music, food and games for the entire family at this annual festival on the grounds of the church. This festival is famous for their pork backbone dinners. Rain or shine this festival will happen. Bring your tents and lawn chairs. No refunds, bbq pits, ATVs, glass containers or ice chests/coolers allowed. This festival is held the first Saturday every year in July.
  4. Bruce reviews "Dark Angel Pass Me" by friend of the show Sim Shattuck.
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Friday, June 17, 2016

161. Kathleen DuVal, part 2.

161. We talk to Kathleen DuVal, author of Independence Lost: Lives on the Edge of the American Revolution, about the critical role played by Louisiana during the Revolutionary War. Governor Galvez lead his forces against the British forces, winning every battle and taking all the territory from Baton Rouge to Pensacola. As a result, the British lost all their territory along the Gulf of Mexico, and the Americans were able to keep open their critical supply lines up the Mississippi. Kathleen is a history professor at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Her research focuses on early America, particularly cross-cultural relations on North American borderlands. She researches and writes about how various American Indian, European, and African men and women interacted from the sixteenth through early nineteenth centuries. 
  1. This week in Louisiana history. June 17, 1868. The first town election was held in Lake Charles.
  2. This week in New Orleans history. June 18, 1860.  Gerard Stith finishes his term as Mayor of New Orleans.  Gerard Stith was elected the Mayor of New Orleans on June 7, 1858, being the candidate of the American or “Know Nothing” party.
  3. This week in Louisiana.
    Sunflower Trail and Festival
    June 18th, 2016
    Highway 3049
    12797 Main St., Highway 3049, Gilliam, LA 71029
    318-296-4303
    Highway 3049
    The Sunflower Festival is a family oriented event located under the trees in Gilliam. Featuring local crafts, entertainment, art displays, and food. The attraction for many visitors is the drive on Highway 3049 north from Shreveport to Gilliam to enjoy the sunflowers, the beautiful the countryside, and the small towns.
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Friday, June 10, 2016

160. Kathleen DuVal, part 1

160. We talk to Kathleen DuVal, author of Independence Lost: Lives on the Edge of the American Revolution, about the critical role played by Louisiana during the Revolutionary War. Governor Galvez lead his forces against the British forces, winning every battle and taking all the territory from Baton Rouge to Pensacola. As a result, the British lost all their territory along the Gulf of Mexico, and the Americans were able to keep open their critical supply lines up the Mississippi. Kathleen is a history professor at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Her research focuses on early America, particularly cross-cultural relations on North American borderlands. She researches and writes about how various American Indian, European, and African men and women interacted from the sixteenth through early nineteenth centuries.
  1. This week in Louisiana history. June 11, 1744. Louis J. de St. Denis dies in Natchitoches.
  2. This week in New Orleans history. On June 11, 1974, Jefferson Parish acquired the balance of the Jefferson Downs property which was used to create Lafreniere Park.
  3. This week in Louisiana.
    Let the Good Times Roll Festival
    June 17th, 2016 - June 19th, 2016
    Festival Plaza
    101 Crockett St., Shreveport, LA 71101
    318-470-3890
    Website
    Festival Plaza
    The good time just keep coming at this annual festival highlighting African American Culture with music,crafts and great food.
  4. Poem of the week.
    "Grand Staircase" by Katie Bickham. This poem is from her book, The Belle Mar, and it set in that fictional house on Dec 7, 1970, as family and friends gathered to watch the comeback of Muhammad Ali on TV. We asked Katie to read and discuss her poem because of the death of Muhammad Ali a few days ago.
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Friday, June 3, 2016

159. Monique Verdin

159. We interview Monique Verdin, director of the documentary My Louisiana Love. My Louisiana Love follows Monique, a young Native American woman, as she returns to Southeast Louisiana to reunite with her Houma Indian family. But soon she sees that her people’s traditional way of life — fishing, trapping, and hunting these fragile wetlands — is threatened by a cycle of man-made environmental crises. As Louisiana is devastated by Hurricane Katrina and Rita and then the BP oil leak, Monique finds herself turning to environmental activism. The film looks at the complex and uneven relationship between the oil industry and the indigenous community of the Mississippi Delta.
  1. This week in Louisiana history. June 5, 1713. Gov. Antoine Cadillac arrives in Louisiana.
  2. This week in New Orleans history. On June 4, 1977, 40,000 fans watched Jimmy Weinert win the sixth of twelve races for the American Motor Cyclist Association $250,000 Supercross series. 20,000,000 pounds of dirt were piled into the center of the Superdome for the event
  3. This week in Louisiana.
    Benton Farmers' Sunday Market
    May 22nd, 2016 - July 24th, 2016
    Downtown Benton - Town Park
    495 Simpson, Benton, LA 71006
    318-584-5977 | 318-965-2577
    Website
    Easy access to the park from Highway 3, Airline Dr./Palmetto Road and Highway 162.  Water, electricity, restroom facilities, playground and plenty of parking on site.  
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