681. Part 1 of our conversation with Seth Pevey, who writes mystery fiction. Born in Louisiana, Seth spent many years working as a teacher and journalist in Asia before returning to his roots. He now writes fiction and non-fiction from his country home outside of New Orleans, drawing deep inspiration from the local landscape to craft rich, noir-infused Southern Gothic. This is his gritty, New Orleans-based crime fiction series following the ongoing adventures of Felix Herbert and a seasoned police detective named Melançon.
 The Krewe (2018) 
 Roots of Misfortune (2019) 
 The Witness Tree (2019) 
 Casket Girls (2020) 
 Uptown Blues (2021)

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. Bonnie Parker. "Bonnie and Clyde."
    You've read the story of Jesse James
   Of how he lived and died;
      If you're still in need
      Of something to read,
   Here's the story of Bonnie and Clyde.
    Now Bonnie and Clyde are the Barrow gang,
   I'm sure you all have read
       How they rob and steal
       And those who squeal
   Are usually found dying or dead.
    There's lots of untruths to these write-ups;
   They're not so ruthless as that;
      Their nature is raw;
      They hate all the law
   The stool pigeons, spotters, and rats.
    They call them cold-blooded killers;
   They say they are heartless and mean;
      But I say this with pride,
      That I once knew Clyde
   When he was honest and upright and clean.
    But the laws fooled around,
   Kept taking him down
   And locking him up in a cell,
      Till he said to me,
      'I'll never be free,
   So I'll meet a few of them in hell.'
   
3. This week in Louisiana history. June 5, 1713. Gov. Antoine Cadillac arrives in Louisiana.
4. This week in New Orleans history. June 5, 1944: Thousands of New Orleanians worked through the night at Higgins Industries to prepare the landing craft used for the D-Day invasion the following morning.
5. This week in Louisiana.
   Juneteenth Celebrations Across Louisiana
   June 14-19 (events held statewide in mid‑June)
   Locations vary by city; major celebrations in Lake Charles, Shreveport, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans
   Website: explorelouisiana.com
   Juneteenth celebrations across Louisiana honor the emancipation of enslaved African Americans with festivals, concerts, food events, and community gatherings throughout the week leading up to June 19:
   

• Festivals & Concerts: Live music, cultural performances, and family‑friendly entertainment.
• Food & Vendors: Local cuisine, craft booths, and community cookouts.
• Commemorative Events: Educational programs, historical presentations, and unity marches.

Postcards from Louisiana. The Rock Block Band at Felix's Restaurant and Oyster Bar.  Listen on Apple Podcasts.
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680. Celebrate a milestone with us! In this episode, we are marking the 13th anniversary of the podcast and the 14th anniversary of the Anthology project as a whole. To honor the occasion, we are sitting down with legendary local historian and author Ed Branley, the NOLA History Guy, to reflect on another  year of storytelling. Tune in as we look back at what we and Ed have accomplished over the last 12 months, dive into our favorite recent discoveries, and discuss the ever-evolving history of the Crescent City. Thank you for being part of our journey for over a decade!

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. Pisatuntema. Myths of the Louisiana Choctaw. II
      Soon after the earth (yahne) was made, men and grasshoppers came to the surface through a long passageway that led from a large cavern, in the interior of the earth, to the summit of a high hill, Nan' chaha. There, deep down in the earth, in the great cavern, man and the grasshoppers had been created by Aba, the Great Spirit, having been formed of the yellow clay.
      For a time the men and the grasshoppers continued to reach the surface together, and as they emerged from the long passageway they would scatter in all directions, some going north, others south, east, or west.
      But at last the mother of the grasshoppers who had remained in the cavern was killed by the men and as a consequence there were no more grasshoppers to reach the surface, and ever after those that lived on the earth were known to the Choctaw as eske ilay, or 'mother dead.' However, men continued to reach the surface of the earth through the long passageway that led to the summit of Nan' chaha, and, as they moved about from place to place, they trampled upon many grasshoppers in the high grass, killing many and hurting others.
      The grasshoppers became alarmed as they feared that all would be killed if men became more numerous and continued to come from the cavern in the earth. They spoke to Aba, who heard them and soon after caused the passageway to be closed and no more men were allowed to reach the surface. But as there were many men remaining in the cavern he changed them to ants and ever since that time the small ants have come forth from holes in the ground.
   
3. This week in Louisiana history. May 29, 1948. The Desire streetcars stopped running.
4. This week in New Orleans history. May 29, 1985: Businessman Tom Benson officially purchased the New Orleans Saints, preventing the team from potentially relocating to another city.
5. This week in Louisiana.
   French Market Creole Tomato Festival
   June 7'8 (traditionally the first weekend of June)
   French Market District, 1008 N. Peters Street
   New Orleans, LA 70116
   Website: frenchmarket.org
   Email: [email protected]
   Phone: (504) 636‑6400
   The French Market Creole Tomato Festival celebrates the arrival of Louisiana's beloved Creole tomatoes with food booths, cooking demonstrations, live music, and family activities throughout the historic French Market:
   

• Creole Tomato Dishes: Chefs and vendors showcase tomato‑based specialties and seasonal favorites.
• Live Music: Performances across multiple stages in the French Market and Dutch Alley.
• Family Activities: Kids' crafts, second‑line parades, and interactive food‑themed events.

Postcards from Louisiana. Brass-a-holics play at Lundi Gras. Listen on Apple Podcasts.
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679. Can love and trust survive amid ethnic cleansing and imperial warfare? This week, we talk to Marianne Rabalais Sulser about her new novel, Like Snow Before Sun. Set in 1755 Acadia, it is the gripping tale of a woman torn between worlds, a desperate rescue mission, and an unlikely bond forged in the deep wilderness. Listen in for our full breakdown of this historical romance. Marianne Rabalais Sulser is a historical fiction author who specializes in bringing forgotten voices and histories to light. Drawing deeply from meticulous research, she writes narratives that explore shifting loyalties, survival, and the human spirit under the pressure of war. Like Snow Before Sun is her latest novel.

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. Jennifer Reeser. The Lalaurie Horror.
      A red, infernal light glowed, magnified
   By lachrymosal glass and tavern fume
   As I awaited my belated guide;
      So tired of his delay ' though to resume
   My life within the world, without the wait
   Would seem like flight away, upon a broom.
      I did not wonder why my guide was late.
   Instead, I pondered life's approaching fringe,
   To close the life in back of me: a gate.
      Of iron this gate was wrought, pronged, with a hinge
   Constructed clean, but rusted through the springs
   And screeching, so to make a deaf man cringe;
      The kind to carve a stone floor, when it swings,
   Embedded in its plate, an oval brooch,
   The numerals of French and Spanish kings.
   
3. This week in Louisiana history. May 22, 1873. U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant finally offically recognizes Gov. Wm. Kellogg's Republican administration.
4. This week in New Orleans history. May 22, 1873: The "Battle of Liberty Place" occurred as the White League attempted to overthrow the integrated Reconstruction government in the city.
5. This week in Louisiana.
   Lake Claiborne State Park
   225 State Park Road
   Homer, LA 71040
   Open year‑round; ideal for late‑spring swimming, hiking, and lakeside recreation
   Website: lastateparks.com
   Email: [email protected]
   Phone: (318) 927‑2976
   Lake Claiborne State Park offers rolling pine forests, sandy beaches, and one of North Louisiana's clearest lakes, making it a perfect early‑summer getaway for families, paddlers, and anglers:
   

• Swimming & Beaches: A designated swimming area with a wide sandy shoreline.
• Trails & Wildlife: Miles of forested hiking paths with birding and nature‑watching opportunities.
• Boating & Fishing: Clear water ideal for kayaking, water‑skiing, and bass, crappie, and bream fishing.

Postcards from Louisiana. The Rock Block Band at Felix's Restaurant and Oyster Bar. Listen on Apple Podcasts.
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Episode 678. Emily Zobel Marshall comes on the podcast to discuss her research on trickster characters, particularly the ones in her book, American Trickster: Trauma Tradition and Brer Rabbit. Trickster characters. Emily Marshall’s concept of the American Trickster explores a unique archetype that evolved from the fusion of diverse cultural folklore—primarily African, Indigenous, and European—into a distinctly American figure. Unlike traditional European tricksters who often serve as moral foils or agents of chaos, Marshall’s American trickster is defined by survival and subversion. This figure often operates within systems of extreme oppression, using wit, "masking," and linguistic dexterity to outsmart more powerful adversaries. Emily is a Professor of Postcolonial Literature at Leeds Beckett University. She is of French-Caribbean and British heritage and grew up in the mountains of Snowdonia in North Wales. An expert on the trickster figure in the folklore, oral cultures and literature of the African Diaspora, she has published widely in these fields, including her books Anansi’s Journey: A Story of Jamaican Cultural Resistance (2012, UWI press) and American Trickster: Trauma Tradition and Brer Rabbit (2019, Rowman and Littlefield). She develops her creative work alongside her academic writing and her collection Bath of Herbs was published by Peepal Tree Press in 2023.

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. Louis Charles Roudanez.
   'Is the Black Code Still in Force?'
       'Sec. 9. If any slave shall strike a white person, for the first and second offense he shall receive such punishment as the jury shall think proper, but for the third offence the said slave shall suffer death; and whenever any slave shall have grievously and willfully wounded any white person, although it prove to be the first offense, such slave shall suffer death; provided the blow, wound, mutilation or bruises are not made or committed in defense of the person or property of his master.'
       Does any sane person living in New Orleans today believe that such a law would, could or should be enforced by any civil power in this city under existing circumstances? Yet there it stands, printed in the 'Revised Statutes of Louisiana,' under the head of the 'Black Code,' and if we are to be guided by 'high authority' in legal matters, a judge in one of our anomalous courts would be derelict in his duty not to pronounce the sentence of death on a colored person, convicted under this statute, who had heretofore been held as a slave, and had never been manumitted according to the laws of Louisiana.
3. This week in Louisiana history. May 15, 1915. Huey Long admitted to the Louisiana Bar as "a full fledged lawyer." 
4. This week in New Orleans history. May 15, 1921: The first scheduled commercial flight arrived in New Orleans, marking the beginning of the city's modern aviation era.
5. This week in Louisiana.
   Gonzales Jambalaya Festival
   May 15, 2026
   Lamar‑Dixon Expo Center, 9039 S. St. Landry Avenue
   Gonzales, LA 70737
   Held annually on Memorial Day Weekend; the 2026 festival is coming up later this month
   Website: jambalayafestival.net
   Email: [email protected]
   Phone: (225) 647‑9569
   The Gonzales Jambalaya Festival is a South Louisiana tradition featuring world‑champion jambalaya, live music, carnival rides, and cooking competitions throughout the long Memorial Day weekend:
   

• World Champion Jambalaya: Daily servings from top cooks competing for the festival title.
• Live Music & Entertainment: Multiple stages with regional bands and family‑friendly performances.
• Carnival Rides & Activities: A full midway, games, vendors, and community events across the festival grounds.

Postcards from Louisiana. Molly Ringwalds. My Sharona. Kenner Italian Festival.  Listen on audible.
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677. This week, we talk to Dustin Granger about  Louisiana politics. As a seasoned financial advisor with over two decades of experience, Dustin Granger has built his career helping Louisiana families navigate the turbulent waters of the Great Recession, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the recurring hurricanes that shape life on the Gulf Coast. A lifelong resident and LSU alumnus, Granger now serves as the Treasurer of the Louisiana Democratic Party. Granger is a leading voice for economic reform and climate resilience. He advocates for a "New Louisiana" that breaks away from traditional corporate-heavy investments to embrace renewable energy, fair taxation, and sustainable infrastructure. In this interview, we discuss his recommendations for the current voting season, his strategies for stabilizing property insurance, his commitment to strengthening the state's middle class, and his ongoing work to revitalize the Democratic infrastructure across the Bayou State.

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. Charles Asbury Stephens. The Ark of 1803.
       It was a voyage of untold perils. Every year an increasing number of white outlaws, hidden in the caves along the river, harried and robbed the boatmen who floated down from the upper settlements. There were lurking bands of hostile Indians. And there was the river itself with its treacheries; its snags; its mud bars and its floods. It was no unusual thing for an ark to set out as this one was about to do, provided against all foreseeable disasters, and never be heard from afterward. Some were wrecked, some were robbed and their crews obscurely murdered. But no tidings of their fate came back to the solitary homes on the upper Ohio.
       To set out on such a voyage with a single man or boy who could not be trusted, might mean the loss of the boat or even of every life on board of her.
3. This week in Louisiana history. May 8, 1823. First gas lighting used in the American Theater of New Orleans.
4. This week in New Orleans history. May 8, 1884: The World's Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition opened in what is now Audubon Park, showcasing New Orleans as a global trade hub.
5. This week in Louisiana.
   Creole Nature Trail All‑American Road
   Louisiana Highway 27 & Highway 82 Corridor
   Cameron and Calcasieu Parishes, LA
   Open year‑round; ideal for spring wildlife viewing and coastal drives
   Website: creolenaturetrail.org
   Email: [email protected]
   Phone: (337) 436‑9588
   The Creole Nature Trail is one of America's first National Scenic Byways, offering 180 miles of Gulf Coast marshes, beaches, wildlife refuges, and birding hotspots throughout the year:
   

• Scenic Wildlife Drives: Alligators, wading birds, and migratory species visible from roadside pull‑offs.
• Gulf Beaches: Access to quiet stretches of shoreline along the Cameron coast.
• Refuge Access: Connects to Sabine, Cameron Prairie, and Lacassine National Wildlife Refuges.

Postcards from Louisiana. The Rock Block Band at Felix's Restaurant and Oyster Bar. Listen on Apple Podcasts.
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676. Part 2 of our conversation with Frances Kolb Turnbell about Spanish Colonial Louisiana. Frances recently published an important history entitled, Spanish Louisiana: Contest for Borderlands, 1763–1803.  What happens when a fading French colony is handed over to a Spanish Empire determined to impose order? In this episode, we dive into Frances Kolb Turnbell’s landmark book, Spanish Louisiana. We explore a Mississippi Valley that was far more than just a line on a map—it was a "fluid zone" where Spanish governors, defiant French colonists, Indigenous diplomats, and enslaved people seeking manumission constantly negotiated the terms of their own freedom. From the violent New Orleans Revolt of 1768 to the secret trade networks that fueled the American Revolution, Turnbell reveals how the people of the borderlands often shaped imperial policy more than the monarchs in Madrid ever did. Frances Kolb Turnbell is a historian of Early America and the Atlantic World with a specialization in the eighteenth-century Lower Mississippi Valley. She earned her PhD from Vanderbilt University and currently serves as the editor of the Tennessee Historical Quarterly while teaching at the University of North Alabama.

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. Gael Stirler. "The History of Beignets."
   "To Make Bennets" (quoted from The Book of Cookrye, 1584)
   Put butter and water over the fier in a faire pain, and when it boyleth put therto fine Flower and Salte, and so let them boyle, but stir them well for brenning, and when it is wel thick, put it into an earthen pan, then break Egs into it and boyle them so togither, than boyle a good quantitye of Butter clarified over the fire, and with a spoone put in your other stuffe and so frye them till they be browne, and that doone, serve them foorth with Sugar on them.
   
3. This week in Louisiana history.May 2, 1862. Gen Benjamin Butler's Order #28 is issued.
   
4. This week in New Orleans history. May 1, 1821: The New Orleans City Council officially designated Congo Square as the only place where enslaved people were permitted to gather and dance.
5. This week in Louisiana.
   Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival
   Parc Hardy, 1290 Rees Street
   Breaux Bridge, LA 70517
   May 2-4, 2026
   Website: festivalguidesandreviews.com
   Email: [email protected]
   Phone: (337) 332‑6655
   The Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival is one of Louisiana's signature spring celebrations, featuring live Cajun and Zydeco music, fresh crawfish dishes, and a lively family‑friendly atmosphere:
   

• Fresh Crawfish: Boiled crawfish, 'touff'e, pies, and other festival favorites.
• Music & Dancing: Cajun and Zydeco bands on multiple stages throughout the weekend.
• Local Culture: Arts, crafts, cooking contests, and events honoring Breaux Bridge's title as the Crawfish Capital of the World.

Postcards from Louisiana. Doreen the Clarinet Queen.

675. Part 1 of our conversation with Frances Kolb Turnbell about Spanish Louisiana. Turnbell has written the first history of the Spanish period of colonial Louisiana: Spanish Louisiana. Part 1. Contest for the Borderlands: 1763-1803. What happens when a fading French colony is handed over to a Spanish Empire determined to impose order? In this episode, we dive into Frances Kolb Turnbell’s landmark book, Spanish Louisiana. We explore a Mississippi Valley that was far more than just a line on a map—it was a "fluid zone" where Spanish governors, defiant French colonists, Indigenous diplomats, and enslaved people seeking manumission constantly negotiated the terms of their own freedom. From the violent New Orleans Revolt of 1768 to the secret trade networks that fueled the American Revolution, Turnbell reveals how the people of the borderlands often shaped imperial policy more than the monarchs in Madrid ever did. Frances Kolb Turnbell is a historian of Early America and the Atlantic World with a specialization in the eighteenth-century Lower Mississippi Valley. She earned her PhD from Vanderbilt University and currently serves as the editor of the Tennessee Historical Quarterly while teaching at the University of North Alabama.

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. Iron Hand Tonty's Account of the Route from the Illinois by the River Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico
   Our provisions failing us, I left a man to take care of our things and went off by land; but as I had a fever constantly on me and my legs were swollen, we did not arrive at this village till St. Martin's day (November 11, 1680). During this journey we lived on wild garlick, which we were obliged to grub up from under the snow. When we arrived we found no savages: they were gone to their winter quarters. We were obliged to go to the places they had left, where we obtained hardly as much as two handfuls of Indian corn a day, and some frozen gourds which we piled up in a cabin at the water's side. Whilst we were gleaning, a Frenchman whom we had left at the cache, came to the cabin where we had left our little store of provisions. He thought we had put them there for him, and therefore did not spare them. We were very much surprised, as we were going off to Michilimakinac, to find him in the cabin, where he had arrived three days before. We had much pleasure in seeing him again, but little to see our provisions partly consumed. We did not delay to embark, and after two hours' sail, the wind in the offing obliged us to land, when I saw a fresh trail, and directed that it should be followed. It led to the Poutouatamis village, who had made a portage to the bay of the Puans. The next day, weak as we were, we carried our canoe and all our things into this bay, to which there was a league of portage. We embarked in Sturgeon Creek, and turned to the right at hazard, not knowing where to go. After sailing for a league, we found a number of cabins, which led us to expect soon to find the savages.
   
3. This week in Louisiana history. April 24, 1862. David Farragut's Union ships slip past Forts St. Phillip and Jackson.
4. This week in New Orleans history. April 24, 1862: Union Admiral David Farragut successfully ran his fleet past Forts Jackson and St. Philip, leading to the capture of New Orleans during the Civil War.
5. This week in Louisiana.
   Plaquemines Parish Seafood Festival
   Thomas Pump Station Grounds
   333 F. Edward Hebert Blvd.
   Belle Chasse, LA 70037
   April 24'26, 2026
   Website: ppsf.us
   Email: [email protected]
   Phone: (504) 394‑3141
   The Plaquemines Parish Seafood Festival celebrates the region's fishing heritage with fresh Gulf seafood, live music, and family‑friendly activities throughout the weekend:
   

• Fresh Seafood Dishes: Boiled shrimp, fried fish, oysters, gumbo, and other local favorites.
• Live Entertainment: Regional bands, dance groups, and cultural performances.
• Family Activities: Carnival rides, craft vendors, and exhibits highlighting Plaquemines' coastal traditions.

Postcards from Louisiana. The Rock Block Band at Felix's Restaurant and Oyster Bar. Listen on Apple Podcasts.
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674. Part 2 of our conversation about prison reform with returning guest Leslie Bary. In this episode, we discuss Leslie Bary’s recent article, “From Angola with Love: Activism, Academics, and the Abolitionist Future,” which chronicles her thirty-year journey providing post-conviction relief and solidarity for death row and maximum-security prisoners at the Louisiana State Penitentiary. Leslie examines the intersection of praxis and theory, the limitations of the prison-industrial complex, and the evolving relationship between academic work and abolitionist activism.Leslie Bary is an Assistant Professor of Spanish and Latin American Studies at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where she specializes in Latin American literature and cultural theory. A Comparative Literature scholar with a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley, her work often bridges the gap between literary studies and humanitarian support, including recent efforts assisting ICE detainees in Louisiana.

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.
   Judge Felix Voorhies. Acadian Reminiscences.
       In the cold winter days the family assembled in the hall, where a goodly fire blazed on the hearth, and while the wind whistled outside, our grandmother, an exile from Acadia, would relate to us the stirring scenes she had witnessed when her people were driven from their homes by the British, their sufferings during their long pilgrimage overland from Maryland to the wilds of Louisiana, the dangers that beset them on their long journey through endless forests, along the precipitous banks of rivers too deep to be forded.
       And as she spoke, we drew closer to her, and grouped around her and stirred not, lest we lose one of her words.
       When she spoke of Acadia, her face brightened, her eyes beamed with a strange brilliancy, and she kept us spellbound, so eloquent and yet so sad were her words, and then tears trickled down her aged cheeks and her voice trembled with emotion.
   
3. This week in Louisiana history. April 17, 1811. Attakapas Parish abolished, became St. Martin & St. Mary.
4. This week in New Orleans history. April 17, 1964: The Ford Mustang made its local debut at New Orleans dealerships, sparking a massive automotive craze across the Gulf South.
5. This week in Louisiana.
   Visit the Bienvenue Lafayette Exhibition at the Cabildo.
   701 Chartres Street (Jackson Square)
   New Orleans, LA 70130
   Hours: Tuesday ' Sunday 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
   Website: louisianastatemuseum.org
   Email: [email protected]
   Phone: (504) 568-6968
   April marks the exactly 200th anniversary month of the Marquis de Lafayette's arrival in New Orleans:
   

• Historical Commemoration: This special exhibit runs from April 10, 2025, to January 18, 2026, honoring the bicentennial of Lafayette's "triumphant tour" of the United States.
• The Cabildo Transformation: Learn how city officials spent the equivalent of $450,000 in 1825 to transform the Cabildo into lavish accommodations for the Marquis. 
• Artifacts of Liberty: The exhibition features unique documents and works of art that explore Lafayette's legacy as a champion of democracy and the abolition of slavery.

Postcards from Louisiana. Court of 2 Sisters Brunch Band.  Listen on Apple Podcasts.
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673. Part 1 of our conversation about prison reform with returning guest Leslie Bary. In this episode, we discuss Leslie Bary’s recent article, “From Angola with Love: Activism, Academics, and the Abolitionist Future,” which chronicles her thirty-year journey providing post-conviction relief and solidarity for death row and maximum-security prisoners at the Louisiana State Penitentiary. Leslie examines the intersection of praxis and theory, the limitations of the prison-industrial complex, and the evolving relationship between academic work and abolitionist activism. Leslie Bary is an Assistant Professor of Spanish and Latin American Studies at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where she specializes in Latin American literature and cultural theory. A Comparative Literature scholar with a Ph.D. from UC Berkeley, her work often bridges the gap between literary studies and humanitarian support, including recent efforts assisting ICE detainees in Louisiana.

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.
   Kevin Cutrer. 'The School Custodian on the Birds and the Bees.'
   I'd say consult your biology book
   but textbooks never cover looks
   exchanged across the lunchroom table:
   the language is too ' clinical,
   no boy meets girl, just sperm meets egg.
   I guess by now you've discovered legs as if they were a phenomenon never before stumbled upon. This doesn't make you Ponce de L'on. You're just a part of the old pattern everyone sees, but no one learns in time to do them any good.
   
3. This week in Louisiana history. April 10, 1824. French Marquis de Lafayette arrived in New Orleans.
4. This week in New Orleans history. April 10, 1845: The French Opera House opened its doors at the corner of Bourbon and Toulouse Streets, serving as the cultural heart of the city for over 70 years.
5. This week in Louisiana.
   Books Along the Teche Literary Festival.
   102 W. Main Street
   New Iberia, LA 70560
   Hours: Various event times (Friday evening through Sunday)
   Website: booksalongthetecheliteraryfestival.com
   Email: [email protected]
   Phone: (337) 364-6114
   This festival celebrates the literary culture of South Louisiana with a focus on the works of James Lee Burke:
   
   • Dave Robicheaux's Hometown: Take guided tours of the locations made famous in Burke's mystery novels set in New Iberia and the surrounding bayous.
   • Authors on the Teche: The event features readings and workshops from celebrated regional authors and poets.
   • Cajun Culture): Enjoy live music, local cuisine, and the "Great Southern Writer" symposium held in the historic Sliman Theater.
     
6. Postcards from Louisiana. Felix's Restaurant and Oyster Bar.           

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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: [email protected]
   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.

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671. On this episode of the Louisiana Anthology Podcast, we are joined by Kayla Hardy to discuss her new novel, Quarter Queen. Set against the backdrop of 19th-century New Orleans, the story follows a young woman’s journey through the mystique and social complexities of the French Quarter. Kayla shares how she blended historical research with rich storytelling to capture the spirit of an era where power and tradition often collided. We dive into the inspirations behind her protagonist and what it means to reclaim a seat at the table in a city defined by its secrets. She earned a doctorate in English, specializing in creative writing and African American literature, from Binghamton University at age twenty-six. Dr. Hardy served as an adjunct professor at Binghamton University and is an avid scholar and lover of Black folklore, mythology, and Voodoo. Inspired by her Louisiana Creole ancestry and familial lineage of rootwork and magic, Kayla aims to tell diverse-driven horror and dark fantasy stories.

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. Traditional. 'Cotton-Eyed Joe.'
        "Cotton-eyed Joe, Cotton-eyed Joe,
   What did make you sarve me so,
   Fur ter take my gal erway fum me,
   An' cyar her plum ter Tennessee?
   Ef it hadn't ben fur Cotton-eyed Joe,
   I'd er been married long ergo.
        "His eyes wuz crossed, an' his nose wuz flat,
   An' his teef wuz out, but wat uv dat?
   Fur he wuz tall, an' he wuz slim,
   An' so my gal she follered him.
   Ef it hadn't ben fur Cotton-eyed Joe,
   I'd er been married long ergo.
   
3. This week in Louisiana history. March 27, 1934. Rev. Gerald Smith addressed citizens in Sulphur's "Share Our Wealth Club." 
4. This week in New Orleans history. March 27, 2020: New Orleans was identified as having the highest COVID-19 growth rate in the world, turning the city into a critical warning site for the global pandemic.
5. This week in Louisiana.
   April 3-5, 2025
   Louisiana Lao New Year Celebration (Pi Mai Lao).
   7913 Champa Ave.
   Lanexang Village
   Broussard, LA 70518
   Hours: Three-day festival (Friday-Sunday of Easter weekend)
   Website: explorelouisiana.com
   Email: [email protected]
   Phone: (337) 378-9469
   Experience one of the most unique cultural festivals in Acadiana, celebrating Southeast Asian traditions:
   
   • Lao Traditions: The festival features traditional sand castle building, vibrant parades, and a beauty pageant.
   • Culinary Delights: Numerous vendors offer authentic clothes, jewelry, and a wide array of food from Southeast Asia.
   • VIP Experience: All-access passes are available that include reserved parking, guided tours, and access to the Tea-time performance banquet.
     Admission & Pricing
   • Admission & Pricing
     General Admission (Before 5:00 PM): Free.
     Evening Admission (After 5:00 PM): $15.00 per person (covers access to the evening concerts and the dance floor).
     VIP All-Access Pass: $50.00. This includes reserved parking next to the temple, food, a guided tour, and access to the VIP parade lounge and performance banquet.
     Parking: Public parking and shuttles are typically free, but limited; arriving early is highly recommended.
     
6. Postcards from Louisiana. Rug Cutters at Favela Chic.

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