Friday, March 27, 2020

358. Mary Gehman, part 2

358. Part 2 of our interview with Mary Gehman about her book, Women in New Orleans.  Mary Gehman has actively participated in the New Orleans writing community since the 1970s. She was greatly involved in developing Margaret Media, Inc., which was established in 1981 in New Orleans as the publisher of Distaff, a women's monthly newspaper first published in 1972.
Although the newspaper, the only one of its kind in the Deep South, ceased publication in 1982, the company president and one of Distaff's founders, Mary Gehman, continued to operate Margaret Media, Inc. to conduct women's history tours of the French Quarter and eventually to publish the book Women and New Orleans in 1988. Her second book, The Free People of Color of New Orleans, was published in 1994, and the third, Louisiana's Great River Road: The Mississippi from Angola North to Venice South in 2003.
  1. This week in Louisiana history.  March 28 1973. Lindy Boggs becomes first LA. women elected to US House of Representative.
  2. This week in New Orleans history. Delta's 727 flight 357 from New Orleans to Dallas was hijacked to Cuba on March 28, 1984.  Approximately 20 minutes after departure from New Orleans, a male passenger stood up holding a whiskey bottle with brown liquid and demanded to be flown to Cuba. He threatened to pour the liquid on a flight attendant and ignite it if his demand was not met. The pilot diverted the aircraft to Cuba where the flight landed without further incident.  Cuban authorities boarded the aircraft in Havana and took the hijacker into custody.
  3. This week in Louisiana.
    4th Annual World Championship Crawfish Etouffee Cook-off
    March 29th, 2020
    10:00 am - 4:00 pm
    Northwest Community Center Pavilion
    651 Samuel Drive,
    Eunice, LA 70535
    337-457-2565 | 887-948-8004
    Website | Email
         This event features professional and amateur cooks vying for the title of "World Champion." One of the best ways to taste some of the best crawfish in Louisiana. Teams compete to see who can cook the best crawfish etouffee in three categories: Amateur, Professional and Club/Organization. Once the judges have their samples from the booths, the public can buy the crawfish etouffee directly from the participants. Vote for the People's Choice Award!
         Great live Cajun and zydeco music (starting at 10am), plenty of dancing and, of course, tons of etouffee. There will also be a poker run, arts and crafts, a petting zoo, pony rides, fun jumps, and more fun activities for the whole family! World Championship Crawfish Etouffee Cookoff is held the last Sunday in March every year, except when it conflicts with Easter.
         Trophies given after 2pm. Buy Etouffee from the booths starting at 11 am. Arts & Crafts and additional food and desserts. No admission fee.
  4. Postcards from Louisiana.  Famous Door Bar.
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Friday, March 20, 2020

357. Mary Gehman, Part 1

357. Part 1 of our interview with Mary Gehman, author of Women in New Orleans. Mary has actively participated in the New Orleans writing community since the 1970s. She was greatly involved in developing Margaret Media, Inc., which was established in 1981 in New Orleans as the publisher of Distaff, a women's monthly newspaper first published in 1972. Although the newspaper, the only one of its kind in the Deep South, ceased publication in 1982, the company president and one of Distaff's founders, Mary Gehman, continued to operate Margaret Media, Inc. to conduct women's history tours of the French Quarter and eventually to publish the book Women and New Orleans in 1988. Her second book, The Free People of Color of New Orleans, was published in 1994, and the third, Louisiana's Great River Road: The Mississippi from Angola North to Venice South in 2003.

  1. This week in Louisiana history. March 21, 1804. French Emperor Napolean Bonaparte enacts a new legal framework, the "Napoleonic Code", which gives France its first coherent set of civil and creminal laws. It will later become the basis of Louisiana civil law.
  2. This week in New Orleans history. The Good Friday Fire. March 21, 1788. The Great New Orleans Fire (1788) was a fire that destroyed 856 of the 1,100 structures in New Orleans, Louisiana on March 21, 1788, spanning the south central French Quarter from Burgundy to Chartres Street, almost to the riverfront buildings. An additional 212 buildings were destroyed in a later city-wide fire, on December 8, 1794.
  3. This week in Louisiana. The Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival
    March 25th, 2020 - March 29th, 2020
    Hotel Monteleone
    214 Royal St,
    New Orleans, LA 70130
    504-581-1144
    Website | Email
  4. Postcards from Louisiana. Steamboat Willie Band.
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Friday, March 13, 2020

356. Katie Burlison

356. Katie Burlison is the curator of the Hermann-Grima + Gallier Historic Houses, a museum in the French Quarter (820 St. Louis Street & 818 St. Louis Street). We discuss the history of the Protestant charity, the Christian Woman's Exchange (once a tenant of the Hermann-Grima House) in New Orleans. The Exchange published the Creole Cookery Book in 1885, one of the earliest New Orleans cookbooks. "The Christian Woman’s Exchange was the first New Orleans women’s organization established by women for women. Organized in April 1881 and chartered in May of the same year, the Christian Woman’s Exchange was structured much like the original woman’s exchange groups located in the northeastern United States. Their buildings housed consignment shops, rooms for rent, and dining rooms for women of every social class. As the needs of women changed, the group modified its mission to promote public history education in and out of the classroom" (64Parishes).
  1. This week in Louisiana history. March 14, 1780. Galvez captures Ft. Charlotte at Mobile.
  2. This week in New Orleans history. Drew Brees signed with the New Orleans Saints on March 14, 2006.
  3. This week in Louisiana. Irish Channel St. Patrick's Day Block Party & Parade
    March 14th, 2020 - March 17th, 2020
    Irish Channel Neighborhood
    Irish Channel,
    New Orleans, LA 70130
    504-799-5188
    Website
  4. Postcards from Louisiana. The Wawa Band plays in New Orleans.
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Thursday, March 5, 2020

355. Laura D. Kelley on Margaret Haughery

355. We interview Laura D. Kelley about Margaret Gaffney Haughery for Women's History Month. We talked to Laura in Episodes 156 and 157 about the history of the Irish in New Orleans. Today she comes back to discuss Margaret Gaffney Haughery, commonly called the Mother of Orphans. She immigrated to New Orleans in 1835, but soon lost her husband and child. The nuns took her in, and she began to work with orphans, donating much of her earnings to their support. She became a successful business woman, first in dairy and later in a bakery. As she became more financially successful, she expanded her support of orphans and led others in donating to them also.
  1. This week in Louisiana history. March 7 1830. Gov. Jacques Villere died on his plantation south of N.O.
  2. This week in New Orleans history. According to the New Orleans Public Service Riders' Digest, the Knights of Electra first used electricity, in a Carnival parade on March 7, 1889.
  3. This week in Louisiana.
    New Orleans Bourbon Festival.
    March 11-14, 2020
    10:00 am - 11:00 pm
    New Orleans Riverside Hilton & Contemporary Arts Center
    2 Poydras Avenue, New Orleans, 900 Camp St, New Orleans,
    New Orleans, LA 70119
    504-905-0726
    Website
    New Orleans Bourbon Festival’s mission is to provide our attendees with an opportunity to enjoy exceptional Bourbon and cuisine surrounded by the charm and culture of New Orleans.
  4. Postcards from Louisiana. Steve Mignano Band
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