425. Coushatta Baskets, Part 1

Episode 425. Part 1 of our interview with Denise Bates and Linda Langley about Coushatta Baskets and the people who make them. Louisiana Coushatta Basket Makers brings together oral histories, tribal records, archival materials, and archaeological evidence to explore the fascinating history of the Coushatta Tribe’s famed basket weavers. After settling at their present location near the town of Elton, Louisiana, in the 1880s, the Coushatta (Koasati) tribe developed a basket industry that bolstered the local tribal economy and became the basis for generating tourism and political mobilization. The baskets represented a material culture that distinguished the Coushattas as Indigenous people within an ethnically and racially diverse region.

1. This week in Louisiana history. July 10, 1941. Legendary jazz pianist and composer Jelly Roll Morton (born in New Orleans) died in Los Angeles. His musical innovations accelerated the development of jazz.
2. This week in New Orleans history. On July 10, 2010, during their 35th-anniversary performance at New Orleans' Mahalia Jackson Theater, the band Zebra was inducted into The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   Grambling University
   Eddie G. Robinson Museum
   The museum is now housed in the former Women’s Memorial Gymnasium, which underwent a major renovation. The free, 9,000-square-foot museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and contains videos and interactive exhibits. Be sure to stop by the Pro Room, which highlights the more than 300 players who went on to play professional football under the tutelage of Coach Robinson.
   
4. Postcards from Louisiana. A jazz singer in Jackson Square.

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