319. Bryan Wagner. The Tar Baby.

319. We interview Bryan Wagner about his recent book, The Tar Baby: A Global History. Louisianans may be familiar with Compair Lapin, the tricky rabbit of Louisiana Creole folk tales. Perhaps the best-known version of the tar baby story was published in 1880 by Joel Chandler Harris in Uncle Remus: His Songs and His Sayings, and popularized in Song of the South, the 1946 Disney movie. Other versions of the story, however, have surfaced in many other places throughout the world, including Nigeria, Brazil, Corsica, Jamaica, India, and the Philippines. The Tar Baby offers a fresh analysis of this deceptively simple story about a fox, a rabbit, and a doll made of tar and turpentine, tracing its history and its connections to slavery, colonialism, and global trade. Bryan Wagner explores how the tar baby story, thought to have originated in Africa, came to exist in hundreds of forms on five continents. Examining its variation, reception, and dispersal over time, he argues that the story is best understood not merely as a folktale but as a collective work in political philosophy. Circulating at the same time and in the same places as new ideas about property and politics developed in colonial law and political economy, the tar baby comes to embody an understanding of the interlocking processes by which custom was criminalized, slaves were captured, and labor was bought and sold.

1. This week in Louisiana history. June 30, 1870. Robert E. Lee and the Natchez began their famous riverboat race.
2. This week in New Orleans history. June 29, 1967. Jane Mansfield Dies in Auto Crash on Chef Hwy. Along the Chef Menteur Highway/Hwy 90 near the Rigolets pass, at approximately 2:25 a.m., the car plowed into the back of a tractor-trailer truck which had reduced its speed from 50 to 35 miles-per-hour upon sighting a mosquito fogging truck. Husband Harrison, Jayne, and their son Brady were killed.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   July 4-7, 2019
   Essence Festival 25
   Superdome and other locations
   New Orleans, LA
   The Essence Festival, known as "the party with a purpose", is an annual music festival which started in 1995 as a one-time event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Essence, a magazine aimed primarily towards African-American women. It is the largest event celebrating African-American culture and music in the United States. Locally referred to as the Essence Fest, it has been held in New Orleans, Louisiana since 1994 except for 2006, when it was held in Houston, Texas due to Hurricane Katrina's effect on New Orleans. It was also held in Durban, South Africa in 2016. It features artists simultaneously performing on a main stage as well as four standing-room only superlounge stages.
   
4. Postcards from Louisiana. Hillary and the Boys play on Decatur St.

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318. Nick Douglas, part 2

318. Part 2 of our interview with Nick Douglas, author of Finding Octave. With a flash of recognition, the author meets the gaze of his ancestor in a sepia-toned photo. Knowing next to nothing about this man, his great-great-grandfather Octave, he follows two families that lead to his own. On a journey stretching from Haiti to India, and back to the 16th century, the author's adventures strangely echo those of his ancestors. Finding Octave finds an America where "free people of color"-unfettered blacks, Indians and Creoles-had power and wealth that whites struggled to claim as their own. In this pre-Civil War America, blacks negotiated their own freedom from slavery. Some chose to be slaveholders themselves. Confronting the terrible truth about slavery within his family, the author uncovers an American secret.

1. This week in Louisiana history. June 22, 1983. Louisiana repeals last racial classification laws.
2. This week in New Orleans history. June 22, 1947. Pistol Pete Maravich is Born.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   June 28-29, 2019
   Beauregard Watermelon Festival
   Louisiana Fun, Sugartown Sweet
   313 W. 1st St.
   DeRidder, LA 70634
   (337) 463-5534
   Friday 4 pm - 12 am
   Saturday 10 am - 12 am
   Watermelon carving, seed spitting and eating contest, biggest watermelon contest, frozen t-shirt contest, watermelon pageant.
   
4. Postcards from Louisiana. Bruce interviews Anonymous for the Voiceless in Jackson Square. They're an animal rights group.

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317. Nick Douglas, part 1

317. Part 1 of our interview with Nick Douglas, author of Finding Octave. With a flash of recognition, the author meets the gaze of his ancestor in a sepia-toned photo. Knowing next to nothing about this man, his great-great-grandfather Octave, he follows two families that lead to his own. On a journey stretching from Haiti to India, and back to the 16th century, the author's adventures strangely echo those of his ancestors. Finding Octave finds an America where "free people of color"-unfettered blacks, Indians and Creoles-had power and wealth that whites struggled to claim as their own. In this pre-Civil War America, blacks negotiated their own freedom from slavery. Some chose to be slaveholders themselves. Confronting the terrible truth about slavery within his family, the author uncovers an American secret.

1. This week in Louisiana history. June 15, 1910. Evangeline Parish created.
2. This week in New Orleans history. On June 15, 1845 when the news of Andrew Jackson’s death reached New Orleans, Mayor Montegut requested that all flags be lowered to half-mast. Guns were fired at intervals of 15 minutes. The St. Louis Cathedral being refused to General Jackson’s friends for the funeral obsequies (Jackson being a Protestant) the ceremonies took place on June 26 in the Place d’Armes, now known as Jackson Square. It was near dusk when the head of the procession entered the square and night set in before the orators could commence. The top of the railing around the square was lighted with lamps and the platform was illuminated with a circle of torches making a most picturesque appearance.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   Louisiana Catfish Festival.
   St. Gertrude the Great Catholic Church
   17324 LA 631
   Des Allemands, LA 70030
   (985) 758-7542
   office@stgertrude.nocoxmail.com
   Home-cooked food, live music, and rides.
   
4. Postcards from Louisiana. Maude Caillat and the Aphrodesiacs play.

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316. Gilda Werner Reed, part 2

316. Part 1 of our interview with Gilda Werner Reed. Gilda wrote the memoir Hectic Happiness. Dr. Gilda Werner Reed attended the University of Southwestern Louisiana, Tulane-Newcomb and the University of New Orleans earning her degrees from the University of New Orleans. Her Ph.D. is in Applied Biological Psychology in 1996. Dr. Reed has been teaching at the University of New Orleans since 1994 and presently teaches eight different courses both on campus and online. Reed is drawn to it due to her extensive experience in child and adolescent development. She has been married to the same great guy since 1967 and together they have 7 children.

1. This week in Louisiana history. June 8, 1807. Gov. Claiborne fought a duel with Daniel Clark. "At first fire the Governor received Mr. Clark's ball through his right thigh."
2. This week in New Orleans history. June 8, 1934 Actress Dorothy Dell Dies in Car Crash.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   June 21-22, 2019
   Louisiana Peach Fest
   Fishing tournament, art exhibit, cooking contest, fun in the park, rodeo, music concerts.
      The Louisiana Peach Festival is a family-oriented event produced by the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, and held each year the fourth weekend of June.
   
4. Postcards from Louisiana. Bruce listens a duet on Royal Street.

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315. Gilda Werner Reed, part 1

315. Part 1 of our interview with Gilda Werner Reed. Gilda wrote the memoir Hectic Happiness. Dr. Gilda Werner Reed attended the University of Southwestern Louisiana, Tulane-Newcomb and the University of New Orleans earning her degrees from the University of New Orleans. Her Ph.D. is in Applied Biological Psychology in 1996. Dr. Reed has been teaching at the University of New Orleans since 1994 and presently teaches eight different courses both on campus and online. Reed is drawn to it due to her extensive experience in child and adolescent development. She has been married to the same great guy since 1967 and together they have 7 children.

1. This week in Louisiana history. June 1, 1862. Gen. Benjamin Butler declares the port of New Orleans reopened for commerce to all friendly nations.
2. This week in New Orleans history. June 1, 1861. Beginning of the Esplanade Streetcar Route. A trip to City Park during the early 1860s required a ride from the city by horse and carriage on unimproved roads. Transit companies saw an opportunity to capitalize on the growing popularity of City Park by adding new lines. These afforded easy access and consequently interest in the park rose which led to the call for park improvements. From 1901 until 1934 the Canal and Esplanade lines operated in a loop as the Canal-Esplanade Belt, until the Esplanade line was replaced by buses. It's last run was on December 27, 1934.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   June 13-15, 2019
   33rd Annual Louisiana Corn Festival
   208 Pershing Ave.
   Bunkie, LA
   Hours: Thu 5pm-10pm, Fri 5pm-12am, Sat 9am-12am
   The Louisiana Corn Festival is held every year the second full weekend in June. The festival and slogan “Aw Shucks” originated in 1986 and still is the only corn festival in the state of Louisiana.
   
4. Postcards from Louisiana. Bruce listens to the band play at the Blue Nile Club in New Orleans.

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314. Anniversary Episode

314. This is the 7th anniversary of Louisiana Anthology, and the 6th Anniversary of podcast. Bruce and Stephen review the high points of the last year. The Anthology has almost 8,000,000 words now, and we talk about some of the interesting texts we added in the last 12 months. We also talk about some of the interviews from the last year.

1. This week in Louisiana history. May 26, 1861. Civil War comes to La. as U.S. Navy begins Miss. River blockade.
2. This week in New Orleans history. May 25, 1939. The Beginning of Lincoln Beach. Lincoln Beach was located near Little Woods along Hayne Boulevard west of Paris Road in a then remote location far removed from public transportation.  The ten-acre site was deeded to the city by Samuel Zemurray in 1938 and purchased within a year by the Orleans Levee Board which designated it as a swimming area for "colored" New Orleanians.  The WPA project would result in a sand beach similar to the one being designed at Pontchartrain Beach, but Linclon Beach's amusements and amenities would not compare to those which would be contained at the "white" amusement park.
3. This week in Louisiana.
   June 7 - 9, 2019, 9:30 am - June 9, 2019
   42^nd Cajun Heritage Festival
   Larose Civic Center
   307 E. 5th St.
   Larose, LA 70345
   985-693-7355
   State woodcarving championship, duck calling contest, decoy and shotgun raffle
4. Postcards from Louisiana. Bruce listens to the Slick Skillet Serenades at the Apple Barrel on Frenchman St. in New Orleans.

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314. Anniversary Episode

314. This is the 7th anniversary of Louisiana Anthology, and the 6th Anniversary of podcast. Bruce and Stephen review the high points of the last year. The Anthology has almost 8,000,000 words now, and we talk about some of the interesting texts we added in the last 12 months. We also talk about some of the interviews from the last year.

1. This week in Louisiana history. May 26, 1861. Civil War comes to La. as U.S. Navy begins Miss. River blockade.
2. This week in New Orleans history. May 25, 1939. The Beginning of Lincoln Beach. Lincoln Beach was located near Little Woods along Hayne Boulevard west of Paris Road in a then remote location far removed from public transportation.  The ten-acre site was deeded to the city by Samuel Zemurray in 1938 and purchased within a year by the Orleans Levee Board which designated it as a swimming area for "colored" New Orleanians.  The WPA project would result in a sand beach similar to the one being designed at Pontchartrain Beach, but Linclon Beach's amusements and amenities would not compare to those which would be contained at the "white" amusement park.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   June 7 - 9, 2019, 9:30 am - June 9, 2019
   42^nd Cajun Heritage Festival
   Larose Civic Center
   307 E. 5th St.
   Larose, LA 70345
   985-693-7355
   State woodcarving championship, duck calling contest, decoy and shotgun raffle
   
4. Postcards from Louisiana. Bruce listens to the Slick Skillet Serenades at the Apple Barrel on Frenchman St. in New Orleans.

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The Louisiana Anthology Home Page.
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