89. Interview with Ava Leavell Haymon, Louisiana's Poet Laureate, Part1

89.  Part one of our interview with Ava Leavell Haymon, Louisiana's Poet Laureate.  Ava’s most recent poetry collection is Eldest Daughter, published by Louisiana State University Press. She has written three previous collections, Why the House Is Made of Gingerbread, Kitchen Heat, and The Strict Economy of Fire, all also from LSU Press, and edits the Barataria Poetry Series, which will premiere Spring 2014.

1. This week in Louisiana history. February 7, 2010. The New Orleans Saints when their very first Super Bowl and finish the year at 14-3. February 7, 2010.  The Saints defeated the Indianapolis Colts by a score of 31–17, earning their first Super Bowl win. The game was played at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida on February 7, 2010.  Drew Brees was named the Most Valuable Player.  And you remember the rest.
2. This week in New Orleans history.  On February 7, 1970, while riding in the Bacchus parade, Al Hirt was struck by a hurled brick, rock, or cement chunk (sources vary) which left him bleeding profusely and the needing 12 (or 16, sources vary) stitches across the entire underside of his upper lip. He was taken from the float, rushed to Baptist Hospital, treated, and then attended the krewe's ball at the Rivergate the same evening.  He was forced to cancel two upcoming performing commitments and await the healing process to know if he would ever be able to play the trumpet again as he did in the past.  His career was seriously threatened and the public was outraged, calling for the end this sort of violence that had occured at many other parades during that Carnival season. The story made national news.  This incident was parodied in a Saturday Night Live skit from their second season Mardi Gras special, the "Let's Hit Al Hirt in the Mouth with a Brick Contest."
3. This week in Louisiana.
   Carnival!
   Garden District Gallery
   1332 Washington Ave.
   New Orleans, LA 70130
   504.891.3032
   Through February 22
   11:00 AM - 5:00 PM CST
   Carnival!
       Group show featuring Mardi Gras-themed works in oil, watercolor, pastel, photography, bronze sculpture and mixed media, by artists such as Rolland Golden, Alan Flattmann, Sharon Weilbaecher, Kim Bernadas, Jacques Soulas, Jean Cassels, Patti Adams, Bevil Knapp, Ellis Lucia, Phil Thompson, Andy Levin and Jacques Soulas.

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88. Interview with Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

88.  We interview author and activist Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz.  Dr. Dunbar-Ortiz has devoted her life to advocating for the rights of women, Native Americans, and indigenous peoples of the Western Hemisphere.  She joins us to discuss her most recent book, An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States. We focus our discussion on some of the unintended consequences of the Battle of New Orleans for the Native Americans who would have to deal with Andrew Jackson after he became President.

1. This week in Louisiana history. January 24 1936 Doug Kershaw born in Tiel Ridge, Louisiana
2. This week in New Orleans history.  Aaron Neville was born in New Orleans on January 24, 1941.  An R&B and soul singer and musician, he has had four top-20 hits in the United States (including three that went to number one on Billboard's adult contemporary chart and one that went to number one on the R&B chart) along with four platinum-certified albums. He has also recorded with his brothers Art, Charles and Cyril as The Neville Brothers and is the father of singer/keyboards player Ivan Neville.
3. This week in Louisiana. "Praying for a Miracle: The Catholic Church and the Battle of New Orleans"
   Old Ursuline Convent
   1100 Chartres Street New Orleans, LA 70116
   504.529.3040 http://www.stlouiscathedral.org/convent-museum
   Now through May 30, 2015
   10:00 AM - 4:00 PM CST
   Artifacts and documents related to the Battle of New Orleans, in which the Americans led by Andrew Jackson defeated the British in 1815.

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87. Interview with writer Maurice Ruffin, part 2

87.  Part two of our interview with Maurice Ruffin.  Maurice is an attorney in New Orleans who is also gaining prominence for his writing.  You can read one of his short stories here.

1. This week in Louisiana history. January 18 1962 Southern University closed following protests. Under pressure from state authorities, administrators at many publicly supported black colleges used expulsions and shut-downs to stop sit-ins and related activities. Later in the 1960s and 1970s, this became a common way of dealing with student disturbances.
2. This week in New Orleans history.  January 17, 2008.   Musician Delfeayo Marsalis was the keynote speaker for this year's Martin Luther King Holiday Celebration. Marsalis shared his thoughts on the struggles of African American people and the freedoms we enjoy today that were won by that struggle.  The Martin Luther King Celebration began with a joyous dance performed by Kendra Harris and members of African dance and drum collaboratives from around the city.
3. This week in Louisiana. "Photo-Unrealism"
   New Orleans Museum of Art and The Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden
   1 Collins Diboll Circle,
   City Park
   New Orleans, LA 70124
   504.658.4100
        January 14-March 15, 2015
   10:00 AM - 6:00 PM CST
       Works from NOMA's permanent collection that highlight the abstract, unreal, and surreal in photography.

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86. Interview with writer Maurce Ruffin, Part 1

86.  Part one of our interview with writer Maurice Ruffin.  Maurice is an attorney in New Orleans who is also gaining prominence for his writing.

1. This week in Louisiana history. January 12 1932. Hattie Caraway (D-Ark) elected 1st woman senator with the help of Louisiana's Huey Long.
2. This week in New Orleans history.  On January 11, 1803, Monroe & Livingston sailed for Paris to buy New Orleans; they buy Louisiana and more.
   
3. This week in Louisiana. St. John Fools of Misrule Parade
   January 10th, 2015
   Historic Downtown Covington
   434 N. Columbia St., Covington, LA 70433
   985-264-8896
   Historic Downtown Covington
   The St. John Fools of Misrule formed in 2011 to announce the arrival of Carnival season on the Northshore. Its bawdy procession through Covington's historic St. John District, which is preceded by a "Feast of Fools" at 4pm, is led by a "Lord of Misrule" and the marching parade begins with flambeaux and a brass band starting at Columbia Street Tap Room & Grill (434 N. Columbia St.) and follows a route along Lockwood St. west to New Hampshire St., south to Walker Alley and then north along Columbia St. to end back at the Tap Room. Their slogan: Vivere Vita Omnino! Live Life Completely!
   
4. Battle of New Orleans  January 9, 1815. NO. XXIX.
   Copy of a letter from major-general Jackson to the secretary of war, dated
   Camp, four miles below Orleans, 9th January, 1815.
   In my encampment every thing was ready for action, when early on the morning of the 8th the enemy, after throwing a heavy shower of bombs and congreve rockets, advanced their columns on my right and left, to storm my intrenchments. I cannot speak sufficiently in praise of the firmness and deliberation with which my whole line received their approach. More could not have been expected from veterans inured to war. — For an hour the fire of the small arms was as incessant and severe as can be imagined. The artillery, too, directed by officers who displayed equal skill and courage, did great execution. Yet the columns of the enemy continued to advance with a firmness which reflects upon them the greatest credit. Twice the column which approached me on my left, was repulsed by the troops of general Carroll, those of general Coffee and a division of the Kentucky militia, and twice they formed again and renewed the assault. At length, however, cut to pieces, they fled in confusion from the field, leaving it covered with their dead and wounded. The loss which the enemy sustained on this occasion, cannot be estimated at less than fifteen hundred in killed, wounded, and prisoners. Upwards of three hundred have already been delivered over for burial; and my men are still engaged in picking them up within my lines, and carrying them to the point where the enemy are to receive them. This is in addition to the dead and wounded whom the enemy have been enabled to carry from the field during and since the action, and to those who have since died of the wounds they received. We have taken about five hundred prisoners, upwards of three hundred of whom are wounded, and a great part of them mortally. My loss has not exceeded, and I believe has not amounted to ten killed and as many wounded.

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Maurice Ruffin

85. Interview with Jason Wiese, Associate Director at the HNOC

85.  We interview Jason Wiese, the Associate Director of the Williams Research Center at the Historic New Orleans Collection.  He is the curator of their Battle of New Orleans exhibit.  We talk to him about the Battle of New Orleans, the exhibit he oversees, and other related topics regarding the 200th anniversary of the Battle.

1. This week in Louisiana history. January 4 1757. King Louis XV of France survives an assassination attempt by Robert Frangois.
2. This week in New Orleans history.  Isaac Delgado Dies. January 4, 1912.  The current fifty-seven-acre City Park Campus of Delgado Community College in New Orleans was originally established in 1921 as Delgado Central Trades School, a manual trade school for young boys. The land was purchased with funds bequeathed by Delgado to the City of New Orleans in 1909.
3. This week in Louisiana.     Mardi Gras 12th Night
   January 6th, 2015
   Lake Charles Civic Center
   Lake Charles Civic Center, 900 Lakeshore Drive, Lake Charles, LA 70601
   337-436-9588
   A glittering entrance to the Mardi Gras season, the Twelfth Night celebration at the Lake Charles Civic Center draws thousands to see the grand promenade of the kiings, queens, and captains of more than 50 krewes. The Twelfth Night radition parallels the three king's entry at the ancient nativity twelve days after Jesus' birth.
   
4. Battle of New Orleans  January 8, 1815. NO. XXVIII.
   Letter from commodore Patterson to the secretary of the navy. Marine Batteries, 5 miles below N. Orleans, January 2, 1815
   Sir,
   Finding the advantageous effect which resulted from the flanking-fire upon the enemy from the Louisiana, as detailed in my letter of the 29th ultimo, I that night had brought down from the navy yard, and mounted in silence, a twenty-four pounder on shore, in a position where it could most annoy the enemy when throwing up works on the levee or in the field. On the 30th opened upon the enemy with the twenty-four pounder, which drove them from their works, the ship firing at the same time upon their advance, which retired from the levee and sheltered itself behind houses, &c. The great effect produced by the gun on shore, induced me on the 31st to land from the Louisiana two twelve-pounders, which I mounted behind the levee in the most advantageous position, to harass the flank of the enemy in his approaches to our lines, and to aid our right. At four A. M. the enemy opened a fire upon the left of our line with artillery and musketry, which was returned most spiritly with artillery and musketry. At two P. M. the enemy having retired, the firing ceased.

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