Louisiana Anthology Podcast

686. Part 1 of our interview with Joel Sharpton. Joel talks to us about Louisiana politics in 2026. Joel is a Ruston-based audio professional and progressive grassroots organizer who seamlessly blends media production with political advocacy. As the founder of Pro Podcasting Services and an expert in mobile workflows, Sharpton brings over a decade of podcasting experience to his community-focused...

685. Today author Adam J. Smith joins us to talk about his writing. Based in Covington, Adam uses his adopted home state of Louisiana as the backdrop for his fiction. Through his books, readers are introduced to Callier, Louisiana, a seemingly quiet town where deep secrets and unexpected dangers hide just beneath the surface. From the chilling pursuit of a small town killer in The Callier Cutter t...

684.  Today we chat with Lee Farrow about the visit of Count Alexis of Russia to Louisiana. She has written about the 1872 visit of Russian Grand Duke Alexis Romanov to Louisiana in her book Alexis in America: A Russian Grand Duke's Tour, 1871–1872 .Farrow, a New Orleans native and Tulane University alumna, meticulously separates history from myth regarding the Grand Duke’s arrival in New Orl...

683. Joining us today is historian and curator Theresa McCulla to discuss her book, Insatiable City: Food and Race in New Orleans. A 2025 James Beard Award nominee and named a Smithsonian Best Book of the Year, Insatiable City uncovers the complex, dual nature of the Crescent City’s legendary culinary culture. McCulla—who has served as a food and drink curator for institutions like the Smithsonian...

682. Seth Pevey, part 2 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 grit...

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 Orle...

680. Celebrate a milestone with us! In this episode, we are marking the 13 th anniversary of the podcast and the 14 th 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 ov...

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 Rabalai...

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 Europe...

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 serv...

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 Louisi...

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...

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...

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 exa...

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 u...

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 wher...

670. Sophie White joins us to discuss her book,  Voices of the Enslaved: Love, Labor, and Longing in French Louisiana . Sophie also has a companion website,  "Voices of the Enslaved: A Digital Humanities Approach to Encountering the Archive." This website is well worth your time. It has an article on the earliest reference to voudou, for example, with primary documents and detailed analy...

669. Part 2. We continue Women's History Month by concluding our conversation with Marcelle Bienvenu. Whe is an author working on the history of Creole cooking. Marcelle Bienvenu's highly anticipated new release of her timeless classic, Who's Your Mama, Are You Catholic, and Can You Make A Roux? is a treasure trove of over two hundred recipes, revised with a Foreword by Emeril Lagasse and sumptuou...

668. We begin women's history month by talking to Marcelle Bienvenu about the history of Creole cooking. In a city known worldwide for its food, the women of New Orleans have led the way. Marcelle Bienvenu's highly anticipated new release of her timeless classic, Who's Your Mama, Are You Catholic, and Can You Make A Roux? is a treasure trove of over two hundred recipes, revised with a Foreword by...

667. Part 2 of our conversation with Kathleen Kass Byrd about her book on the history of Natchitoches. "Kathleen M. Byrd’s Natchitoches, Louisiana, 1803–1840 is an examination of one French Creole community as it transitioned from a fur-trading and agricultural settlement under the control of Spain to a critical American outpost on the Spanish/American frontier and finally to a commercial hub and...

666. Kathleen Kass Byrd, part 1, joins us to discuss her book on the history of Natchitoches. "Kathleen M. Byrd’s Natchitoches, Louisiana, 1803–1840 is an examination of one French Creole community as it transitioned from a fur-trading and agricultural settlement under the control of Spain to a critical American outpost on the Spanish/American frontier and finally to a commercial hub and jumping-o...

665. Part 2 of our interview of Zella Palmer, expert on Creole and African cooking. She released a documentary, The Story of New Orleans Creole Cooking: The Black Hand in the Pot. She is also the author of  Recipes and Remembrances of Fair Dillard, 1869-2019. Zella, educator, food historian, author, and filmmaker, serves as the Chair and Director of the Dillard University Ray Charles Program...

664. Part 1 of our interview with Zella Palmer about the influence of African cooking on creole cuisine. The Story of New Orleans Creole Cooking: The Black Hand in the Pot . She is also the author of Recipes and Remembrances of Fair Dillard, 1869-2019 . Zella, educator, food historian, author, and filmmaker, serves as the Chair and Director of the Dillard University Ray Charles Program in African-...

663. Part 2 of our conversation with Matthew and Melissa, hosts of the the "This Ain't It" podcast, covering their response to MAGA religion. Hosted by Matthew Teutsch , a scholar of African American literature and Director of the Lillian E. Smith Center, and his wife Melissa Teutsch , the show explores the intersection of culture, politics, and history. Together, they engage in deep conversations...

662. Part 1 of our conversation with Matthew and Melissa, hosts of the the "This Ain't It" podcast, covering their response to MAGA religion. Hosted by Matthew Teutsch , a scholar of African American literature and Director of the Lillian E. Smith Center, and his wife Melissa Teutsch , the show explores the intersection of culture, politics, and history. Together, they engage in deep conversations...