672. "Liberty in Louisiana" presentation for the Cabildo

672. Bruce and Stephen give a new presentation about Liberty in Louisiana. This was a Friends of the Cabildo event. The Louisiana State Museum and Friends of the Cabildo’s Second Thursday Lecture Series is held on the second Thursday of each month, beginning at 6 p.m. at the New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint or on Zoom. Every month a different topic is explored from Louisiana’s unique history. Programs are free of charge; refreshments courtesy of Friends of the Cabildo. For more information, contact Friends of the Cabildo at 504.523.3939 or go to the events page for the most updated lecture schedule.

1. Now available: Liberty in Louisiana: A Comedy. The oldest play about Louisiana, author James Workman wrote it as a celebration of the Louisiana Purchase. Now it is back in print for the first time in 222 years. Order your copy today!
2. This week in the Louisiana Anthology. Fanny Trollope. Domestic Manners of the Americans.
   The first symptom of American equality that I perceived, was my being introduced in form to a milliner; it was not at a boarding-house, under the indistinct outline of "Miss C*****," nor in the street through the veil of a fashionable toilette, but in the very penetralia of her temple, standing behind her counter, giving laws to ribbon and to wire, and ushering caps and bonnets into existence. She was an English woman, and I was told that she possessed great intellectual endowments, and much information; I really believe this was true. Her manner was easy and graceful, with a good deal of French tournure; and the gentleness with which her fine eyes and sweet voice directed the movements of a young female slave, was really touching: the way, too, in which she blended her French talk of modes with her customers, and her English talk of metaphysics with her friends, had a pretty air of indifference in it, that gave her a superiority with both.
   
3. This week in Louisiana history. April 3, 1793. Pope Pius VI establishes the first Diocese of Louisiana and the Floridas. St Louis Church became Cath'drale Saint-Louis, and Luis Pe'alver y C'rdenas was named the first Bishop.
   
4. This week in New Orleans history. April 3, 1977: The first edition of the Gambit weekly newspaper was published, eventually becoming a staple of New Orleans culture and investigative reporting.
5. This week in Louisiana.
   Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival
   Ponchatoula Memorial Park, North 6th Street
   Ponchatoula, LA 70454
   April 10'12, 2026 (festival concluded last weekend; visitors can still enjoy local farms and downtown attractions on April 17)
   Website: lastrawberryfestival.com
   Email: info@lastrawberryfestival.com
   Phone: (985) 386‑2536
   The Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival is Louisiana's largest free harvest festival, celebrating local farmers, food, music, and community traditions:
   
• Strawberry Treats: Shortcake, chocolate‑dipped berries, daiquiris, jams, and fresh flats from local growers.
• Live Music & Rides: Multiple stages, carnival attractions, and family‑friendly entertainment.
• Local Culture: Downtown Ponchatoula shops, farms, and photo spots remain active the week after the festival.
6. Postcards from Louisiana.

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