Friday, May 13, 2016

156. Laura D. Kelley, Part 1

156.  Part 1 of our interview with Dr. Laura D. Kelley.  Laura was born in New York City but after moving to New Orleans to complete her Ph.D., she realized she had finally found a place to call home. Her Irish roots dictated the focus of her study, and Irish luck lent a hand when she met on her first day in the Crescent City a man from “da Channel” the Irish Channel – with an unusual accent reminiscent of New York City even though he was born and raised in New Orleans. Kelley realized then and there that she had found the subject and specific focus of her research.  Laura has written The Irish in New Orleans about this little-known history. “In this well-researched volume, historian Dr. Laura D. Kelley tells the colorful history of the Irish in New Orleans.”
  1. This week in Louisiana history. May 14 1845 First free public school opened in LA.
  2. This week in New Orleans history. On May 14, 1823, the Camp Street Theater opened in New Orleans.  It was built by James Henry Caldwell, a British actor, in the new Second (American) Municipality.
  3. This week in Louisiana.
    Cruisin Cajun Country Cruise In
    May 19th, 2016 - May 21st, 2016
    Bouligny Plaza
    102 W Main St, New Iberia, LA 70560
    337-367-1631
    Website
    Bouligny Plaza
    Classic and muscle cars cruise into the HOT side of Louisiana's Cajun Country to experience the areas hottest attractions, award winning Main Street historic district, food, live music, gaming and burn out contest. For more info call 337-367-1631.
Listen in iTunes.
Listen in Stitcher.
Listen on Google Play.
Like us on Facebook.



Friday, May 6, 2016

155. Trey Ourso of Gumbo PAC

155. We interview Trey Ourso about Gumbo PAC and its role in the 2016 Louisiana Governor's race.  Trey was awarded the AAPC Pollie Excellence Award as the 2015 Campaign Strategist of the Year for his work with Gumbo PAC during the Louisiana governor’s race. Trey is the former Executive Director of the Louisiana Democratic Party and former National President of the Association of State Democratic Executive Directors where he became the first state party executive director to address a national convention at the 2000 Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles, California. Under his leadership in 1999, Louisiana Democrats maintained control of both chambers of the Louisiana Legislature and won many races up and down the ballot. In February 2010, Trey was named by Politics Magazine as one of the Top 10 Democratic Influencers in Louisiana, and in 2013, he was named by Campaigns & Elections Magazine as one of the top Democratic Influencers in Kansas as part of their national Top 500 Influencers list. He has consulted on hundreds of campaigns in dozens of states over the past 15 years.
  1. This week in Louisiana history. May 7, 1862. The Union Army captures Baton Rouge during the Civil War.
  2. This week in New Orleans history.  May 7, 1998.  Blue Lu Barker dies.  Jazz and Blues singer Louise "Blue Lu" Dupont Barker, famous for  "Don't You Feel My Leg" and "Look What Baby's Got For You" "A Little Bird Told Me" was born in New Orleans on November 13, 1913. She often sang and performed with her husband Danny Barker.  Blue Lu was inducted into the Louisiana Blues Hall of Fame in 1997, one year before she died in her home town on May 7, 1998 at the age of 84.
  3. This week in Louisiana.
    Poke Salad Festival
    May 9th, 2016 - May 14th, 2016
    Darby Ave. and Pinehill Rd., off Hwy. 1 in Blanchard
    Pinehill Road, Blanchard, LA 71107
    318-309-2647
    Darby Ave. and Pinehill Rd., off Hwy. 1 in Blanchard
    The festival kicks off with a cash prize treasure hunt, pet parade, carnival, food, children's activities, live entertainment and loads of fun for the entire family.
Listen in iTunes.
Listen in Stitcher.
Listen on Google Play.
Like us on Facebook.


Friday, April 29, 2016

154. Pete Melman, Part 2

154. Our interview with Pete Melman, Part 2. His novel Landsman has been called, "a stirring, evocative, and unforgettable epic novel of the Civil War in the tradition of Cold Mountain and Widow of the South. In the summer of 1853, in Lafayette City, Louisiana, eleven-year-old Elias Abrams loses his mother to yellow fever. Grief-stricken and alone, he becomes embroiled in the street life of New Orleans. After Elias is falsely accused of a crime and in order to escape arrest a decade later, he enlists as a private in the Third Louisiana Regiment, where three thousand other Jews will ultimately fight for the Confederacy.
  1. This week in Louisiana history. April 30, 1803. Louisiana Treaty Purchase Treaty signed.
  2. This week in New Orleans history. April 30, 1812.  Louisiana becomes a state. Nine years after the Louisiana Territory was purchased from France, Louisiana became the 18th American state on April 30, 1812. It was not contiguous to any other U.S. state (Mississippi was not admitted until 1817, Arkansas until 1836, and Texas in 1845).
  3. This week in Louisiana.
    Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival Association
    May 6th, 2016 - May 8th, 2016
    Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival
    1300 Rees St., 520 Parkway Dr, Breaux Bridge, LA 70517
    337-332-6655 | 337-332-5917
    Website
    Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival
    Famous Cajun, Zydeco and Swamp Pop musicians and plays host to over 30 bands on three stages during the three-day festival.
Listen in iTunes.
Listen in Stitcher.
Like us on Facebook.

Friday, April 22, 2016

153. Peter Melman, Part 1

153. Our interview with Pete Melman, Part 1. His novel Landsman has been called, "a stirring, evocative, and unforgettable epic novel of the Civil War in the tradition of Cold Mountain and Widow of the South. In the summer of 1853, in Lafayette City, Louisiana, eleven-year-old Elias Abrams loses his mother to yellow fever. Grief-stricken and alone, he becomes embroiled in the street life of New Orleans. After Elias is falsely accused of a crime and in order to escape arrest a decade later, he enlists as a private in the Third Louisiana Regiment, where three thousand other Jews will ultimately fight for the Confederacy.
  1. This week in Louisiana history. April 23, 1831. Ponchartrain Railroad opened, first west of Alleghenies.
  2. This week in New Orleans history. April 23, 1939, the Zephyr first whisked New Orleanians into the sky along its winding path around the Pontchartrain Beach.  Harry Jr. remembered, when he was a twelve year-old, "It was fantastic to get on top of the Zephyr and see nothing but cow pasture as far as you could see in Gentilly".
  3. This week in Louisiana.
    Slidell Spring Antique Street Fair
    April 23rd, 2016 - April 24th, 2016
    Slidell Antique Street Fair
    Erlanger, First & Second Sts., Slidell, LA 70458
    985-641-6316
    Website
    Slidell Antique Street Fair
    Family fun at Slidell's Antique Street Fairs, April 23 & 24 and October 29 & 30, 2016. Erlanger, First & Second Sts. Olde Towne Slidell. Antiques, collectibles, furniture, jewelry, crystal, food & drink, live music.
Listen in iTunes.
Listen in Stitcher.
Like us on Facebook.

 

Friday, April 15, 2016

152. Janet Bordelon, Part 2.

152. Part 2 of our interview with Janet Bordelon about Jewish people in Louisiana. Janet teaches Jewish history at Kehillah Jewish high school. She brings with her over 10 years of teaching experience at the secondary and undergraduate level. In 2014, Janet completed her PhD at NYU in 2014. Her research focused on church state issues in American history. Because of her connection to central Louisiana, she is especially interested in Jewish history regarding central and north Louisiana.

Friday, April 8, 2016

151. Janet Bordelon, Part 1

151. Part 1 of our interview with Janet Bordelon about Jewish history in Louisiana. Janet Bordelon teaches Jewish history at Kehillah Jewish high school. She brings with her over 10 years of teaching experience at the secondary and undergraduate level. In 2014, Janet completed her PhD at NYU in 2014. Her research focused on church state issues in American history. Because of her connection to central Louisiana, she is especially interested in Jewish history regarding central and north Louisiana.
  1. This week in Louisiana history. April 9, 1682. Louisiana Territory is so named by the Sieur de La Salle who reaches the mouth of the Mississippi April 9 with a party of 50 men after descending from the Illinois River.
  2. This week in New Orleans history. April 9, 1904.  Sharkey Bonano was born.  Born in Milneburg in 1898, trumpeter Gustave Joseph (Sharkey) Bonano entered the world as Jazz was beginning to brew in his hometown. Sometimes compared to Louis Prima, he was known as a charismatic personality and a fine musician.
  3. This week in Louisiana.
    Natchitoches Jazz/R&B Festival
    April 15th, 2016 - April 16th, 2016
    Downtown Riverbank Stage
    Downtown Natchitoches, Natchitoches, LA 71457
    800-259-1714
    Website
    Downtown Riverbank Stage
    Two-day musical event with a variety of music from rock to soul; food vendors on the riverbank of Cane River Lake in Downtown Natchitoches, Louisiana. For more information visit www.NatchJazzFest.com or www.Natchitoches.com.
Listen in iTunes.
Listen in Stitcher.
Like us on Facebook.

Friday, April 1, 2016

150. Bryan Wagner Interview

150. This week we interview Bryan Wagner about Bras Coupe and the history of policing in New Orleans.  Bryan is an associate professor in the English Department and affiliated faculty in the American Studies Program at UC Berkeley. He received a BA from Carleton College and a PhD in English from the University of Virginia before coming to Berkeley in 2002. His primary research focuses on African American expression in the context of slavery and its aftermath, and he has secondary interests in legal history, cultural theory, and popular music. His first book, Disturbing the Peace: Black Culture and the Police Power after Slavery, a study of black vernacular expression and its entanglement with the law, was published by Harvard University Press in 2009.
  1. This week in Louisiana history. April 1, 1718. Approx. date land began being cleared for city of New Orleans.
  2. This week in New Orleans history. April 2, 1842.  Daniel Henry Holmes Establishes D.H. Holmes Department Store. The Canal Street store was a landmark for 140 years, until Dillard's Department Store chain bought Holmes' stores & closed or renamed them in 1989.
  3. This week in Louisiana.
    2016 Louisiana Samboree
    April 3rd, 2016 - April 10th, 2016
    State Fair of Louisiana-"Dare to Dream"
    3701 Hudson Ave, Shreveport, LA 71109
    318-655-0414
    Website
    State Fair of Louisiana: "Dare to Dream"
    Each year Louisiana Good Sam host a rally called Samboree which is held in April. The Good Sams are RV clubs.  The Louisiana Spring Samboree is rotated among the south regions (Texas, Arkansas). They are three day events and bring together hundreds of families from surrounding states. You will make many friends who you will run into from time to time at other functions. You can play games, both indoor and outdoor; attend seminars; enjoy good entertainment; and many other special activities.  Any member of the Good Sam Club is authorized to attend a Samboree. Membership in a local Good Sam Chapter is not a prerequisite; however joining a local Chapter is encouraged.

Listen in iTunes.
Listen in Stitcher.
Like us on Facebook.
Bryan Wagner
Bras Coupe