229. Richard Campanella

229. We talk to Richard Campanella about his book, Bourbon Street: A History. New Orleans is a city of many storied streets, but only one conjures up as much unbridled passion as it does fervent hatred, simultaneously polarizing the public while drawing millions of visitors a year. A fascinating investigation into the mile-long urban space that is Bourbon Street, Richard Campanella's comprehensive cultural history spans from the street's inception during the colonial period through three tumultuous centuries, arriving at the world-famous entertainment strip of today.

1. This week in Louisiana history. October 7, 1829. Gov. Derbigny suffers fatal accident when thrown from carriage.
2. This week in New Orleans history. On October 7, 1816 the Washington, built by Henry M. Shreve, was the first double-decker. steamboat to arrive in New Orleans and became the model for the classic style of Mississippi river boats — flat-bottomed, two stories, steam-powered paddle wheel mounted on the stern, two smoke-stacks. First used to carry cargo it was soon open for passenger transportation. The Washington moved at lightning speed compared to other boats on the rivers — 16 mph upstream and downstream at as much as 25 mph.
        Shreve launched the boat earlier that year on the Monongahela River just above Pittsburgh. Shreve's cleverly designed Washington had all the features that would soon come to characterize the classic Mississippi riverboat: a two-story deck, a stern-mounted paddle wheel powered by a high-pressure steam engine, a shallow, flat-bottomed hull, and a pilothouse framed by two tall chimneys. Perfectly designed for the often-shallow western rivers like the Mississippi and Missouri, the Washington proved itself on its inaugural voyage the following spring. Steaming upriver against the current with full cargo, the Washington reached Louisville in only 25 days, demonstrating that the powerful new generation of steamboats could master the often-treacherous currents of the mighty western rivers. Soon the Washington began to offer regular passenger and cargo service between New Orleans and Louisville.
   
3. Postcard from Louisiana. Isis Lovestone reads Bruce's cards in Jackson Square.

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228. Chris Trew

228. We interview Chris Trew, New Orleans comedian. Chris is a nationally touring comedian, rapper, actor, improv teacher and professional wrestling manager. He’s performed at tons of comedy festivals and is a founding member of The New Movement, owners and operators of comedy training centers and theater in Austin and New Orleans.

1. This week in Louisiana history. September 30, 1764. D'Abbadie acknowledges receipt of transfer of colony from French to Spanish.
2. This week in New Orleans history. Protest March. September 30, 1963. On September 30, 1963 more than 10,000 black New Orleanians, along with 300 white citizens, marched from Shakspeare Park to City Hall to protest the failure of city leaders to act against discrimination in the Crescent City.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   Rebirth Brass Band
   Tuesday, October 3
   11:00 PM
   Venue information:
   Maple Leaf Bar
   8316 Oak St.
   New Orleans, LA 70118
   504.866.9359
4. Postcard from Louisiana. Buku Broux plays the Kora (the African harp) in Jackson Square. 

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227. Fatima Shaik

227. Our interview with Fatima Shaik. Fatima is an American writer of children’s and adult literature, and former journalist. Her literature explores the human spirit and the intersection of cultures, notably themes of family, community, and justice. Publishers Weekly described her as “knowledgeable and perceptive.” Her work across genres reflects her career as a journalist and fiction writer to use a variety of literary forms in order to explore contemporary social issues, especially that of the "African-American experience." Shaik’s continuing research on the Société d’Economie, the founders of the jazz incubator Economy Hall, has received support from the Louisiana Endowment of the Humanities and the Kittredge Fund.

1. This week in Louisiana history. September 23, 1810. In the early morning hours of Sept. 23, 75 armed rebels slipped into the Spanish fort at Baton Rouge, and in what was described as a "sharp and bloody firefight," subdued the garrison. They lowered the Spanish flag and raised the Bonnie Blue Flag — a single white star on a blue field — that had been adopted for the new nation they called West Florida.
2. This week in New Orleans history.  Allison Miner.Jazz Fest Founder. Born on September 23, 1949. When the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival first began [the second incarnation of it] in 1969, it was radical...founders Quint Davis, George Wein, and Allison Miner created a safe space for New Orleanians to come together, to hear each others’ music and to party -- together.  Eve Abrams brings us this profile of Allison Miner, a titan in New Orleans music, and the only person with a Jazz Fest stage named for her:
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival
   September 20th, 2017 - September 24th, 2017
   Various Venues
   New Iberia, LA 70560
   337-369-9323
   Website | Email
   Street fair, Fais Do-Do, Coronation of Queen Sugar, Blessing of the Crop, photo & art exhibits, boat parade, Louisiana Sugar Cane parade, children’s parade and much more.

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226. Anne Butler

226. This week's interview is with Anne Butler.  Anne is a native of St. Francisville and operates a bed and breakfast at the Butler Greenwood Plantation, which has been in her family since the 1790s. Motivated by her love of culture, she has reached a wide audience through articles published in the Los Angeles Times, Country Woman, New Orleans Magazine, and Country Road. She is also the author of Pelican's Audubon Plantation Country Cookbook, Bayou Plantation Country Cookbook, Acadian Plantation Country Cookbook, The Pelican Guide to Plantation Homes of Louisiana, and her memoir, Weep for the Living.

1. This week in Louisiana history. September 17, 1712. Antoine Crozat receives royal charter giving exclusive trading rights to Louisiana.
2. This week in New Orleans history. The Beatles at City Park Stadium. Wednesday, September 16, 1964. A sellout crowd of 27,000-plus New Orleanians, most of them young girls, filled City Park Stadium on Wednesday, September 16, 1964 to "meet" The Beatles.  General admission tickets sold for $5.00 ($4.32 plus taxes).  Opening the 8:00 P.M. show were New Orleans' own Frogman Henry, Jackie deShannon, and The Bill Black Combo.
         Mayor Victor H. Schiro issued a proclamation declaring the date “Beatles Day in New Orleans”.  Most news reports from the day fail to include that September 16,  1964 was Yom Kippur and many businesses were closed in observation of the Jewish holy day.  
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   Natchitoches Meat Pie Festival
   September 15th, 2017 - September 16th, 2017
   Riverbank Stage
   Natchitoches Tourism,
   780 Front Street, Ste. 100,
   Natchitoches, LA 71457
   800-259-1714
   Website | Email
   Riverbank Stage
   This is the festival that celebrates Natchitoches' famous meat pies! Join us to celebrate these extremely tasty, hot homemade pies. Enjoy live music and dancing along the banks of the Cane River, kid activities, arts and crafts and more.
   
4. Postcard from Louisiana.  We listen to the Jackson Square All-Star Brass Band.

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225. Kent Wascom, part 2

225. Listen to part 2 of our interview with Kent Wascom. Kent has written The Blood of Heaven and Secessia. These are historical novels following a family from the Florida Parishes. They follow the adventures of Angel Woolsack, the son of a frontier Baptist preacher, and his descendants against the backdrop of Louisiana history.

1. This week in Louisiana history. September 10, 1935. Gov. Huey P. Long dies after assassination.
2. This week in New Orleans history. Hurricane Betsy was the first tropical cyclone in the Atlantic Basin to cause at least $1 billion (1965 USD) in damage.  It was the third tropical cyclone, second named storm, and second hurricane of the 1965 Atlantic hurricane season.  Betsy entered into the Gulf of Mexico and re-strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane on September 9. While approaching the Gulf Coast of the United States, Betsy peaked slightly below the threshold for Category 5 hurricane status. However, further intensification was halted after Betsy made landfall in Grand Isle, Louisiana later on September 9.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   4th Euro-Global Conference on Infectious Diseases
   September 7-9
   9:00 AM
   Venue information:
   Place de France Decatur Street and St. Philip Street New Orleans, LA 70116
   800-216-6499
   http://infection.conferenceseries.com/europe/
   Admission:
   http://infection.conferenceseries.com/europe/registration.php
4. Postcards from Louisiana. This week's postcard is from Alonda de Costa, street artist.

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224. Kent Wascom, Part 1

224. Listen to part 1 of our interview with Kent Wascom. Kent has written The Blood of Heaven and Secessia. These are historical novels following a family from the Florida Parishes. They follow the adventures of Angel Woolsack, the son of a frontier Baptist preacher, and his descendants against the backdrop of Louisiana history.

1. This week in Louisiana history.  September 2, 1772. The 'El Principe de Orange' "was struck by a hurricane...and wrecked at the entrance of the Mississippi River, where she quickly went to pieces, only six survivors."
2. This week in New Orleans history. On September 2, 1909, New Orleans was first linked by rail to Houston.  Amid celebrations and ceremonies the train left the New Orleans Terminal Station at 6:10 A.M.   On board were Ben R. Mayer representing the Mayor of New Orleans, F.B. McQueety, Secretery of the Baton Rouge Board of Trade representing the board, and other officials.  The first stop was at the Edenborn Depot (Gonzales. Louisiana) where large delegations from the board along with businessment in general awaited the train.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   82nd Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival
   August 31st, 2017 - September 4th, 2017
   Downtown Morgan City
   Downtown Morgan City
   715 Second Street,
   Morgan City, LA 70380
   985-385-0703 | 800-256-2931 | Fax
   Website
   Downtown Morgan City
   Tap your toes & tempt your taste buds at Louisiana's oldest state-chartered harvest festival. The four-day extravaganza of family entertainment includes continuous live music by local & national acts, a huge arts & crafts show and sale, a Childrens' Village, the Cajun Culinary Classic, the traditional Blessing of the Fleet and water parade . . . all with no gate fee!
4. Postcard from Louisiana. Bruce listens to street musician Ricky Paulin and chats about his music and stuff.

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Kent Wascom

Ricky Paulin

Ricky Paulin playing by the Cafe du Monde.
from B. Bryant Productions & Films on Vimeo.

223. Tanya Erzen on "God in Captivity"

223. We interview Tanya Erzen about her book God in Captivity, focusing on religion in Louisiana prisons and jails. It is by now well known that the United States’ incarceration rate is the highest in the world. What is not broadly understood is how cash-strapped and overcrowded state and federal prisons are increasingly relying on religious organizations to provide educational and mental health services and to help maintain order. And these religious organizations are overwhelmingly run by nondenominational Protestant Christians who see prisoners as captive audiences. God in Captivity grapples with the questions of how faith-based programs serve the punitive regime of the prison, becoming a method of control behind bars even as prisoners use them as a lifeline for self-transformation and dignity.

1. This week in Louisiana history. August 26, 1895. 'Uncle' Earl Kemp Long born.
2. This week in New Orleans history. August 26th, 1992 (Andrew): Andrew, a major hurricane, slammed into South Florida on August 24th before striking the Louisiana coastline August 26th. Seven people died and 94 were injured across Southern Louisiana during Andrew. Winds reached hurricane force from Lafayette eastward to the Atchafalaya
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   "I'll Be Your Medicine" new sculpture and video works by Marta Anna Rodriguez Maleck and Local Honey. (User Submitted)
   Friday, September 1 - Saturday, September 2
   12:00 PM - 5:00 PM CST
   Venue information:
   Good Children Gallery
   4037 St. Claude Ave.
   New Orleans, LA 70117
   413-478-2586
   http://www.goodchildrengallery.com
   Admission: Free
   New sculpture and video works by Marta Anna Rodriguez Maleck and Local Honey.
4. Postcard from Louisiana. Bruce interviews Laura Janelle McKnight about her reporting on crime in New Orleans.

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222. Tim Reid of Frank's Place, Jason Hackworth.

222. We interview Tim Reid, star of Frank's Place and Treme. Both series were groundbreaking in their approach, and both were unusual in their efforts to portray New Orleans accurately. Tim Reid was in the cast of both of these extraordinary series.
       Also, part 2 of our interview with Jason Hackworth on neoliberalism and the Christian response to Katrina. His book Faith Based explores how the Religious Right has supported neoliberalism in the United States, bringing a particular focus to welfare—an arena where conservative Protestant politics and neoliberal economic ideas come together most clearly. Through case studies of gospel rescue missions, Habitat for Humanity, and religious charities in post-Katrina New Orleans, Jason Hackworth describes both the theory and practice of faith-based welfare, revealing fundamental tensions between the religious and economic wings of the conservative movement.

1. This week in Louisiana history. August 18, 1779. A hurricane struck New Orleans, scattering a n entire Spanish fleet and distroyed or disabled all but one ship.
2. This week in New Orleans history. On August 19, 2014, Dr. John released his Louis Armstrong tribute album "Ske-Dat-De-Dat: The Spirit of Satch" on Concord Records.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   Ride the Bull 8
   August 26th, 2017
   5:00 am - 10:00 pm
   Bridge Side Marina Grande Isle
   1618 LA-1,
   Grand Isle, LA 70358
   225-952-9200
   Website
   Bridge Side Marina Grande Isle
   Louisiana's and now World's Largest Extreme Kayak Fishing Tournament ​Ride the Bull 8. This relatively young competition is now the largest on the globe by a large margin. The reason? Wide arms and an easy, welcoming atmosphere!
4. Postcard from Louisiana. Bruce and Laura Janelle McNight finish the second line parade by stopping by Ms. Linda Green's porch for some of her award-winning ya-ka-mein. 

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221. Jason Hackworth. Faith Based, part 1

221. Part 1 of our interview with Jason Hackworth on neoliberalism and the Christian response to Katrina. His book Faith Based explores how the Religious Right has supported neoliberalism in the United States, bringing a particular focus to welfare—an arena where conservative Protestant politics and neoliberal economic ideas come together most clearly. Through case studies of gospel rescue missions, Habitat for Humanity, and religious charities in post-Katrina New Orleans, Jason Hackworth describes both the theory and practice of faith-based welfare, revealing fundamental tensions between the religious and economic wings of the conservative movement.

1. This week in Louisiana history. August 13, 1717. Philippe d'Orleans accepts the resignation of Crozat and his charter.
2. This week in New Orleans history.  On August 13, 1794, the members of the Cabildo were convoked in extraordinary session by the Governor Carondelet to discuss means for repairing the levee and meat market which were damaged by the river during a hurricane on the night of the 10th instant. They decided to hear an opinion of Don Gilberto Guillemard, Major of the Post, and Don Carlos Laveau Trudeau, Surveyor, which will be discussed at the next session of the Cabildo. At the next meeting, it was agreed that repairs to the market should be started at once, with Don Francisco de la Barre to supervise the work. The levee to be in charge of the Major, and the work submitted to bids.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   Delcambre Shrimp Festival
   August 16th, 2017 - August 20th, 2017
   Delcambre Shrimp Festival Grounds
   401 Richard St.,
   Delcambre, LA 70528
   337-685-2653
   Website | Email
   Delcambre Shrimp Festival Grounds
   Delcambre Shrimp Festival honors the shrimping industry with events including a Shrimp Cook-off, queens pageants', fais-do-do's, carnival rides, food court and much more.
4. Postcard from Louisiana. Bruce and Laura Janelle McNight attend the Uptown Swingers Second Line Parade on June 25. This ended the parade season for 2016-2017.  The 2017-2018 season will start in August 2017. Don't miss the fun!

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Laura Janelle McKnight

220. Joseph Dunn, part 2

220. Part 2 of our interview with Joseph Dunn, French scholar and activist. Joseph works to keep French alive in Louisiana. He calls French, Spanish, Creole, and Native American languages “heritage” languages and works to preserve them and spread them in Louisiana culture.

1. This week in Louisiana history. August 6, 2016. Famous New Orleans jazz clarinetist Pete Fountain died today.
2. This week in New Orleans history. On August 5, 2011, a federal jury in New Orleans convicted five police officers of myriad charges related to the cover-up and deprivation of civil rights in the Danzinger Bridge shootings. April 20, 2016. Four former New Orleans police officers were sentenced Wednesday (April 20) to prison terms of 7 to 12 years for the brutal shootings of six unarmed civilians on the Danziger Bridge days after Hurricane Katrina, closing the gravest case of police brutality in the storm's aftermath. A fifth former officer was sentenced to three years for his role in a subsequent cover-up of the Sept. 4, 2005, incident. U.S. District Judge Kurt Engelhardt sentenced the five men in federal court, moments after they admitted guilt as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors that was endorsed by the victims' families.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   Thursdays at Twilight
   Wanda Rouzan and A Taste of New Orleans
   Friday, August 25
   6:00 PM CST
   Venue information:
   Pavilion of the Two Sisters
   (Botanical Garden)
   One Palm Drive
   New Orleans, LA 70124
   504.483.9488
   http://www.garden.neworleanscitypark.com/
   Map venue location
   Admission: $10
   Outdoor concert series featuring New Orleans' musical talent. Mint juleps, wine, beer, soft drinks, water and food are available for purchase. No outside food, drink, or pets are allowed.
   
4. This week in Louisiana books. Katherine Jeffrey, editor of Two Civil Wars, has an event upcoming in August, a Heritage Lecture (sponsored by Preserve Louisiana) at the Old Governor's Mansion in Baton Rouge, Thursday August 10th, 6-8 p.m.  The title is "Finding and Losing History: Lessons Learned from Two Civil Wars."
5. Postcard from Louisiana. David Leonard sings and plays on Royal St.

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219. Joseph Dunn, part 1.

219. Part 1 of our interview with Joseph Dunn, French scholar and activist. Joseph works to keep French alive in Louisiana. He calls French, Spanish, Creole, and Native American languages “heritage” languages and works to preserve them and spread them in Louisiana culture.

  “Il était une fois le français en louisiane.”  
les weeds est partout
le galerie a cassé  
le porte et la chassis  
est open  
je connais pas dire  
falling down  
say croolay ?  
c’est pas comme ça  
mon grandmère
said it  
il était une fois le français en  
louisiane

1. This week in Louisiana history. July 30, 1812. William Charles Cole Claiborne becomes the 1st Governor of the state of Louisiana.
2. This week in New Orleans history. The Carondelet streetcar began its run on July 29, 1866.  This uptown line ran on its namesake street from Canal Street to Napoleon Ave. At its most extensive, it also ran on Freret Street from Napoleon to Broadway, on trackage that eventually became part of the Freret line, and it crossed Canal Street into the French Quarter, pioneering the route of the later Desire line. It ceased on September 7, 1924.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   Purple Heart Day Ceremony
   August 7th, 2017
   6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
   Bouligny Plaza
   102 W. Main St.,
   New Iberia, LA 70560
   337-365-1428
   Bouligny Plaza
   A Celebration Honoring Soldiers who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and made it home with Flag Ceremony and Harmony of Patriotic Music.
4. Postcard from Louisiana. Musician Maddy Kirgo sings her song "Little Things" on a street in New Orleans. 

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218. Jack McGuire, part 2

218. Part 2 of our interview with Jack McGuire about Earl Long. Jack's new book Win the Race or Die Trying: Uncle Earl's Last Hurrah tells the story of the last year of Long's life and the campaign that he waged and won by sheer force of will. He won the election (and a sizable bet he placed on it) but was dead in just over a week. Win the Race or Die Trying captures the essence of Earl Long by chronicling the desperate, death-defying campaign he waged to redefine his legacy.

1. This week in Louisiana history. July 23, 1879. New Constitution adopted, capitol moved - New Orleans to Baton Rouge plus (Reunion) constitution abolishes slavery.
2. This week in New Orleans history.  Oretha Castle Haley July 22, 1939 -- October 10, 1987. Oretha Castle was born in Oakland, Tennessee and moved to New Orleans with her parents in 1947. After graduating from Joseph S. Clark High School she enrolled at Southern University in New Orleans where she joined other students in the struggle for civil rights, eventually becoming the head of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) in New Orleans. In 1967, Oretha married fellow CORE member Richard Haley.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   Thursdays at Twilight:
   Wanda Rouzan and A Taste of New Orleans
   Friday, August 25
   6:00 PM
   Venue information:
   Pavilion of the Two Sisters (Botanical Garden) One Palm Drive New Orleans, LA 70124
   504.483.9488
   http://www.garden.neworleanscitypark.com/
   Admission: $10
   Outdoor concert series featuring New Orleans' musical talent. Mint juleps, wine, beer, soft drinks, water and food are available for purchase. No outside food, drink, or pets are allowed.
4. Postcard from Louisiana. The Divazz play and sing on Royal St. behind St. Louis Cathedral. 

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217. Jack McGuire, part 1

217. Part 1 of our interview with Jack McGuire about Earl Long. Jack's new book Win the Race or Die Trying: Uncle Earl's Last Hurrah tells the story of the last year of Long's life and the campaign that he waged and won by sheer force of will. He won the election (and a sizable bet he placed on it) but was dead in just over a week. Win the Race or Die Trying captures the essence of Earl Long by chronicling the desperate, death-defying campaign he waged to redefine his legacy.

1. This week in Louisiana history. July 17, 1795. First bishop of New Orleans, Don Luis Cardenas, arrives in Louisiana.
2. This week in New Orleans history. July 17, 1974 the U.S. Custom House at 423 Canal Street was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   38th Natchitoches / NSU Folk Festival
   July 14th, 2017 - July 15th, 2017
   Prather Coliseum
   Northwestern State University Campus
   220 S. Jefferson St.,
   Natchitoches, LA 71457
   318-357-4332 | 800-259-1714
   Website | Email
   Prather Coliseum
   Northwestern State University Campus
   This two-day,  multi cultural celebration of heritage and folk art features authetic food from different cultures, Cajun music and dancing, demonstrations, unique folk art exhibits inside A/C Prather Coliseum. Both days is full of musical entertainment featuring Zydeco, Rhythm and Blues, Rock, Country and Soul. The festival is host the State Fiddle Championship on Northwestern State University Campus. 
4. Postcard from Louisiana. We listen to street singer Stoker on Royal Street in New Orleans.

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216. Sam Hyde

216. We interview historian Sam Hyde about the Florida Parishes. Sam is a history professor at Southeastern Louisiana University who specializes in Louisiana history, especially the Florida Parishes and West Florida. He has written books on local history: Pistols and Politics: The Dilemma of Democracy in Louisiana's Florida Parishes, 1810-1899 and A Fierce and Fractious Frontier: The Curious Development of Louisiana's Florida Parishes, 1699-2000,

1. This week in Louisiana history. July 9, 1706. Iberville died of Yellow Fever.
2. This week in New Orleans history. Writer Shirley Ann Grau was born on July 8, 1929 in New Orleans.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   Musical Improvisation Free Class
   Tuesday, July 11
   1:00 PM
   Venue information:
   Sanctuary Cultural Arts Center
   Seraphym Studios
   2525 Burgundy Sy.
   New Orleans, LA 70117
   504.230.9354
   Admission: $10.00 suggested
        Come learn how to improvise in music, express yourself and enjoy the presence of other people!
        Entry is donation-based, with a suggestion of $10 per person. All ages and skill levels are welcome, and no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Participants are invited to bring their own instruments, however a variety of options will also be provided.
        This series is presented by musician and improviser Joey van Leeuwen.
4. Postcards from Louisiana.  The Jackson Square Allstars play "99 Women" in Jackson Square, New Orleans.
   

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215. Katherine Bentley Jeffrey

215. We interview Katherine Bentley Jeffrey, editor of Two Civil Wars: The Curious Shared Journal of a Baton Rouge School Girl and a Sailor on the USS Essex. Two Civil Wars is both an edition of an unusual Civil War era double journal and a narrative about the two writers who composed its contents. The initial journal entries were written by thirteen-year-old Celeste Repp while a student at St. Mary’s Academy, Immediately following Celeste's prettily decorated pages a new title page intervenes, introducing “An Abstract Journal Kept by William L. Park, of the U.S. gunboat Essex during the American Rebellion.” Park’s diary is a fulsome three-year account of military engagements along the Mississippi and its tributaries, the bombardment of southern towns, the looting of plantations, skirmishes with Confederate guerillas, the uneasy experiment with “contrabands” (freed slaves) serving aboard ship, and the mundane circumstances of shipboard life. Very few diaries from the inland navy have survived, and this is the first journal from the ironclad Essex to be published.

1. This week in Louisiana history. July 1, 1731. The Company of the Indies gave up its charter of Louisiana Colony.
2. This week in New Orleans history. One of the lengthiest and most violent transit railway strikes the nation ever experienced began in New Orleans on July 1, 1929. Although an agreement was reached in August, the union members did not agree to go back to work until October.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   Celebration on the Cane
   July 4th, 2017
   10:00 am - 11:00 pm
   Riverbank Stage
   781 Front Street,
   Natchitoches, LA 71457
   318-352-2746 | 800-259-1714
   Website | Email
   Riverbank Stage
   The day begins around 10 a.m. with children's activities and live musical entertainment at 6 p.m. with spectacular firework show over Cane River Lake at 9 p.m. over the Cane River Lake in historic Downtown Natchitoches, Louisiana. Event is FREE and open to the public. Bring blankets or lawn chairs. No ice chests allowed.
4. Postcard from New Orleans. Bruce listens to a song played by Dennis Journey, who was singing on the corner of Royal St. and Toulouse St. in New Orleans.

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Dennis Journey

214. Tyler Bridges. Long Shot.

214. We interview Tyler Bridges, co-author of Long Shot. This recent book is the story of Louisiana’s 2015 race for governor — but the story of John Bel Edwards’ improbable victory over David Vitter holds lessons for candidates and voters in all 50 states. It’s an inconceivable and sometimes hysterical odyssey that unfolds against the unique backdrop of Louisiana’s back roads, bayous, barrooms, and ballrooms.
     Tyler Bridges and Jeremy Alford, two veteran political reporters in Louisiana, take readers deep into the inner workings of the Edwards and Vitter campaigns. To document this unforgettable ride, they interviewed more than 100 of the people who cut the deals, launched the attacks, and even played both sides. Clancy DuBos, one of the state’s foremost political analysts, brought his tremendous knowledge to bear as he edited the book.

1. This week in Louisiana history. June 25, 1868. FL, AL, LA, GA, NC & SC readmitted to US following the Civil War.
2. This week in New Orleans history. Upstairs Lounge Fire. June 24, 1973. Twenty-eight people died at the scene of the sixteen-minute fire, and one died en route to the hospital. Another 18 suffered injuries, of whom three died. The arson was never solved, and it remained the largest hate crime against gay people until the Orlando shooting at the Pulse nightclub on June 12, 2016.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   ComedySportz
   Saturday, July 1
   8:00 PM
   Venue information:
   NOLA Comedy Theater
   5039 Freret St.
   New Orleans, LA 70115
   504.231.7011
   http://www.nolacomedy.com
   Admission: $10 adults, $8 children
   Two teams of comic improvisers compete for points, based upon audience suggestions. Rated "E" for Everyone.
4. Postcard from Louisiana. Sheryl St. Germain reads her poem, “Getting Rid Of The Accent.”

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213. Arlie Hochschild. Strangers in their own Land.

213. We interview Arlie Hochshild. A sociologist in Berkeley, Arlie spent 5 years with people near Lake Charles to try to understand the attitude of the Tea Party voter. The result of her study, Strangers in Their Own Land is a New York Times best seller and a 2016 finalist for the National Book Award for Nonfiction. Her work goes beyond the commonplace liberal idea that many on the political right have been duped into voting against their interests. In the right-wing world she explores, Hochschild discovers powerful forces—fear of cultural eclipse, economic decline, perceived government betrayal — which override self-interest, as progressives see it, and help explain the emotional appeal of a candidate like Donald Trump. Hochschild draws on her expert knowledge of the sociology of emotion to help us understand what it feels like to live in “red” America.

1. This week in Louisiana history. June 20, 1968. Presidential candidate George Wallace speaks in Baton Rouge raising $60,000.
2. This week in New Orleans history. Elias Toutant Beauregard, commandant of Spanish forts. Born, June 17, 1759, New Orleans. In 1779; first served Spain as a member of the New Orleans Company of Carbineers in the Mobile campaign of 1780; was a captain in the Louisiana Infantry Regiment, March 1, 1781; appointed by Gov. Esteban Miró as first commandant at Los Nogales (now Vicksburg, Miss.), April 1791; cooperated with Spanish agents in seeking peace between Choctaw and Creek Indians; reported on all vessels descending the river and served as a courier protector by sending messages up and down the river; was judge of civil and criminal cases; laid the groundwork for the Nogales Conference and signed the Treaty of Nogales, October 28, 1793; replaced as commandant from June 23, 1794; was commandant of the post at San Fernando (now Memphis, Tenn.), May-September 1795; was in New Orleans during yellow-fever epidemic of 1796; returned to Los Nogales as commandant from June 23, 1796 to March 23, 1797; listed in 1798 as a captain, Seventh Company, Second Battalion of the Louisiana Infantry Regiment; lived in New Orleans for a time; removed to Baton Rouge and laid out that part of the city known as Beauregard Town. Thrown from a horse during a military review. Died as a result of the accident, December 3, 1809.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   Louisiana Catfish Festival
   June 17th, 2017 - June 19th, 2017
   St. Gertrude Catholic Church
   17324 La. 631
   Des Allemandes, LA 70030
   985-758-7542
   Website
   St. Gertrude Catholic Church
   The festival is held on the grounds of St. Gertrude the Great Catholic Church in Des Allemands. From New Orleans, take I-10 W to I-310. Head south on I-310 for about 12 miles. Exit to the right on Hwy. 90 W to Houma. Continue on Hwy. 90 W through Paradis to Des Allemands. Upon reaching Des Allemands,  St. Gertrude the Great Catholic Church will be on the right side of LA 631 in the Des Allemands Business District.

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212. Wayne Self. "Upstairs."

212. We interview Wayne Self about his musical Upstairs about the UpStairs Lounge Fire. The UpStairs Lounge arson attack took place on June 24, 1973 at a gay bar located in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Thirty-two people died as a result of fire or smoke inhalation. Wayne wrote the musical Upstairs about the fire. Until the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando one year ago, it was the largest mass killing of gay people in the United States.

1. This week in Louisiana history. June 6, 1814. Pierre Lafitte arrested and accused of piracy by order of WCC Clairborne.
2. This week in New Orleans history. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was established by executive order of Franklin Delano Roosevelt on May 6, 1935. It replaced the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) as the federal government agency responsible for combatting the ill effects of the Great Depression. The WPA was a work relief program and it was instrumental in providing jobs for many individuals who had become unemployed during the nation's economic downturn.
         Most WPA projects were carried out by local and state governments using funds provided by Washington. Several projects were administered directly by the federal government, including the Art, Music, Theatre, and Writers' projects. The bulk of WPA spending went toward the construction and maintenance of the nation's infrastructure. Smaller amounts funded educations, recreational, and cultural activities.
         In Louisiana, state headquarters of the WPA was located in New Orleans. The agency also operated district offices around the state. In 1939 the program's name was changed to Work Projects Administration. On December 4, 1942, the president ordered an end to WPA activities as the nation's war effort eliminated most of the unemployment that the agency had been designed to combat.
         WPA projects in the Crescent City ranged from street paving and bridge building to bookbinding and adult education.
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   Let the Good Times Roll Festival
   June 16th, 2017
   5:00 pm - 12:00 am
   Festival Plaza
   101 Crockett St.,
   Shreveport, LA 71101
   318-470-3890
   Website
   Festival Plaza
       Let The Good Times Roll Festival features performances by top names in soul, gospel, hip-hop and R&B. The festival was named a Southeast Tourism Society Top 20 Event, because of its great line up of music, food and art booths. This will be a weekend-long celebration of African American culture.

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211. Kevin Cutrer. "Lord's Own Anointed."

211. We interview writer Kevin Cutrer about his book of poetry, Lord’s Own Anointed. Kevin is from Kentwood, LA, in the north end of Tangipahoa Parish. He has lived in South America, and now resides in the southernmost neighborhood of Boston. His first poetry collection, Lord’s Own Anointed, was released by Dos Madres Press in 2015. His run-ins with higher education have occurred at Southeastern Louisiana University and Emerson College.

1. This week in Louisiana history. June 6, 1814. Pierre Lafitte arrested and accused of piracy by order of WCC Clairborne.
2. This week in New Orleans history. By ordinance of June 3, 1844 the City Council reorganized the police of the municipality into a Night Watch and a Day Police. The former was composed of a captain, a lieutenant, a sub-lieutenant, two sergeants, and twenty-five men, divided among a main post, a post in Faubourg Washington, and one on the Bayou Road. The captain served at the main post and was responsible for distributing the men, taking care of the weapons, reporting daily to the Recorder (with a copy to the Mayor), and appearing at the Recorder's Court with the prisoners apprehended by the Watch. He was to keep a register of Watch officers and men and a journal of all police activities. All Watch members had to give proof of their citizenship and be able to read and write as well as speak English and French fluently. (NOPL)
   
3. This week in Louisiana.
   St Tammany Photographic Society Meeting (User Submitted)
   Monday, June 5
   All Day Event
   Venue information:
   St. Tammany Art Association
   320 N. Columbia St.
   Covington, LA
   http://stphotosociety.org/
   Admission: Yearly dues after the first meeting
   The St Tammany Photographic Society meet the second Thursday of the each month. The club meets at the Covington Art Association, in downtown Covington, LA. Meeting start at 7:00PM, if you are interested in attending a meeting or would like to join the club. Please come to one of our meetings.

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