212. Wayne Self. "Upstairs."

212. We interview Wayne Self about his musical Upstairs about the UpStairs Lounge Fire. The UpStairs Lounge arson attack took place on June 24, 1973 at a gay bar located in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Thirty-two people died as a result of fire or smoke inhalation. Wayne wrote the musical Upstairs about the fire. Until the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando one year ago, it was the largest mass killing of gay people in the United States.

1. This week in Louisiana history. June 6, 1814. Pierre Lafitte arrested and accused of piracy by order of WCC Clairborne.
2. This week in New Orleans history. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was established by executive order of Franklin Delano Roosevelt on May 6, 1935. It replaced the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) as the federal government agency responsible for combatting the ill effects of the Great Depression. The WPA was a work relief program and it was instrumental in providing jobs for many individuals who had become unemployed during the nation's economic downturn.
         Most WPA projects were carried out by local and state governments using funds provided by Washington. Several projects were administered directly by the federal government, including the Art, Music, Theatre, and Writers' projects. The bulk of WPA spending went toward the construction and maintenance of the nation's infrastructure. Smaller amounts funded educations, recreational, and cultural activities.
         In Louisiana, state headquarters of the WPA was located in New Orleans. The agency also operated district offices around the state. In 1939 the program's name was changed to Work Projects Administration. On December 4, 1942, the president ordered an end to WPA activities as the nation's war effort eliminated most of the unemployment that the agency had been designed to combat.
         WPA projects in the Crescent City ranged from street paving and bridge building to bookbinding and adult education.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   Let the Good Times Roll Festival
   June 16th, 2017
   5:00 pm - 12:00 am
   Festival Plaza
   101 Crockett St.,
   Shreveport, LA 71101
   318-470-3890
   Website
   Festival Plaza
       Let The Good Times Roll Festival features performances by top names in soul, gospel, hip-hop and R&B. The festival was named a Southeast Tourism Society Top 20 Event, because of its great line up of music, food and art booths. This will be a weekend-long celebration of African American culture.

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