Louisiana Considered

Last Sunday marked the 58th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery March that ended in what we know today as Bloody Sunday. But just six weeks ago, a devastating tornado ravaged the city and recovery efforts are still underway. WBHM’s Cody Short traveled to the community to find out more about what this year’s annual Bridge Crossing Jubilee means to residents. The internationally renowned contempo...

Last week, college basketball player from Detroit Mercy, Antoine Davis, came four points away from beating Pete Maravich’s record for most points scored in the NCAA. While we wait to see whether or not Davis might have another chance to take this title, we revisit a conversation with Marshall Terrill, co-author of the biography Maravich , about the life of LSU legend pistol Pete and how he changed...

This weekend brings a celebration of Spanish heritage and culture at Los Isleños Fiesta in St. Bernard Parish. This history began in the 1700s when a group of settlers from the Canary Island moved to the region, and their influence has been long lasting. Bill Hyland, parish historian of St. Bernard Parish, director of Los Isleños Museum Complex and secretary of Los Isleños Society, tells us more a...

ArtSpot Productions' The Road to Damascus is a solo performance that uses the story of Saul, or St. Paul’s conversion experience, as a metaphor for awakening to the persecutorial nature of white supremacy. It also weaves in a modern retelling of Little Red Riding Hood to explore how sexual trauma leads some women to cause harm to themselves and others. We hear more from writer and performer Kathy...

National law and policy have the potential to transform the energy sector in Louisiana from one that is heavily reliant on fossil fuels to one that leans toward renewables and carbon capture. Experts at LSU Law Center say these anticipated changes will leave big impacts on the energy landscape and economy. Keith Hall, Director of the Mineral Law Institute and a professor of energy law at LSU Law C...

Fiddler on the Roof is coming to the Saenger! The Tony-award winning musical about a Jewish community toeing the line of tradition and  cultural change – while the threat of Russian invasion looms in the background – opens tonight, February 28, in New Orleans.  Andrew Hendrick, who plays Lazar Wolf, tells us more about this upcoming performance, and why this story remains relevant today.  Next wee...

Personal items belonging to active-duty military and veterans, like handwritten letters, emails, photos and social media posts, help humanize the American war experience and can become part of our shared history — that’s if they aren’t lost, forgotten or destroyed. An LSU researcher is now offering resources to help make sure that doesn’t happen. Edward Benoit III, associate professor at the LSU S...

Organizers fighting to recall New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell claim they have enough signatures to move forward. But where the recall effort goes from here has yet to be determined. The Times-Picayune | The Advocate’s editorial director and columnist Stephanie Grace gives us an update, and tells us what could happen next.  February is not only Black History Month, but also brings the one hundred...

It’s Black History Month around the country, and one way to celebrate in New Orleans is to get involved in all the programs offered by the public libraries. Between art content, video streaming service, and access to educational digital resources, the library system has a lot to offer when it comes to celebrating Black history.  Here to tell us more about these programs is Shukrani Gray, African A...

Today on Louisiana Considered, Mardi Gras might be over, but Ash Wednesday has arrived. We look back on a 2015 story to hear how New Orleanians transitioned from a season of carnival celebrations to a time of religious reflection and sacrifice. Plus, we go back to the archives to hear how footage of the Krewe of Rex rolling through New Orleans in 1898 was recently uncovered. And, Washington DC’s M...

Today on Louisiana Considered, we are wishing all of our listeners a happy Mardi Gras with three stories from our archives! We hear about the lost history of gay carnival, learn how Mardi Gras Indian Chief Monk Boudreau sews his elaborate suits, and hear from one family that has helped decorate Mardi Gras kings and queens for generations. Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Diane...

Today on Louisiana Considered, we celebrate Lundi Gras with a look back at some of our favorite carnival stories. Professor Emeritus of Francophone Studies at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Barry Ancelet, tells us about Mardi Gras traditions in more rural parts of Louisiana. Plus we learn about the flambeaux carrier strike of 1946, which led to krewes rolling in the dark. Today’s episod...

Mardi Gras is back! After a stay-at-home year in 2021 and shortened parades in 2022, krewes are finally rolling on their full, traditional routes. But local businesses are still dealing with the weird, volatile post-pandemic economy. Reporter Carly Berlin has the story. The NPR podcast “ White Lies ” recently debuted its second season about Mariel Cubans, who took over a prison in Talladega, Alaba...

New Orleans is one of the few major American cities without some form of rapid transit. Now, the Regional Transit Authority is trying to change that with plans for a new, faster bus line that would connect New Orleans East and the west bank to downtown. WWNO’s Metro Reporter Carly Berlin tells us more about these plans and why the city council is already pushing back. In the last few years, White...

Heart disease, high blood pressure, and hypertension are not only common in the Gulf South, but they also disproportionately impact Black communities. That’s why some doctors are teaming up with churchers for medical intervention. The Gulf States Newsroom’s Shalina Chatlani visited a church to learn how parishioners are spreading the gospel on how to stay healthy.  Just in time for Mardi Gras seas...

After years of trying to track down their grandfather's publications, two cousins from Maryland finally found what they were looking for at LSU Libraries. They not only discovered a signed, first edition copy of their grandfather’s book of poetry, but even found a broadside of his poem, “Sleep On!” But this is just one example of how LSU Libraries connect families with their ancestors. The cousins...

Organizers of the Mayor Cantrell recall in New Orleans are pushing for more signatures before the February 22 deadline to bring the question to the ballot. The Times-Picayune | The Advocate’s editorial director and columnist Stephanie Grace tells us what to expect as the deadline fast approaches. With loud noises, tightly-packed crowds, and objects flying left and right – a Mardi Gras parade might...

It’s Carnival season in Louisiana and around the world. Yes, you’ve heard of Mardi Gras, and you might be familiar with Carnaval in Brazil, but during this time of year there are multiple festivals around the globe all culminating in some sort of Tuesday celebration. There’s Dance to the Beat in Colombia, Battle of the Flowers in France, Masquerade in Italy, Goa in India, and the list goes on.  To...

Law enforcement officers from outside of the New Orleans area will head to the Crescent City to help with policing and security during Mardi Gras. But in the past, outside officers have not always had to follow the city’s rules and regulations. Verite’s Richard Webster tells us more about the consent decree that will give the NOPD oversight of the incoming officers.  Last month, the YMCA in Baton...

In the days since abortion became heavily restricted or illegal, pregnancy resource centers have been getting more financial support in states like Mississippi. These places aren’t substitutes for health care, but in some maternity care deserts, they’re one of the last remaining options for pregnant people. The Gulf States Newsroom’s Maya Miller takes us inside one of these centers and introduces...

Baton Rouge law enforcement recently adopted the new program, LightsOn! The initiative seeks to transform traffic stops from punitive interactions to more supportive encounters, where officers can provide drivers with vouchers rather than tickets. Christopher Csonka, Executive Director of the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, tells us what this new program will entail.  For years, people have...

Now through February 24 at the Cary Saurage Community Arts Center in Baton Rouge is “Preserving Our Place– A Photographic Exhibition.” This display offers visual art from native communities in coastal south Louisiana and coastal far-west Alaska, attesting to the similarities in the climate crises in the artists’ native homes. For more, WRKF’s Adam Vos spoke with the artists Chantel Comardelle, tri...

A recent study by the Southern Poverty Law Center Action Fund revealed that Louisiana sheriffs and prosecutors are overwhelmingly white and male. While over 33% of Louisiana’s population is Black only 6% of the sheriffs and 12% of the district attorneys are Black, which points to a significant disparity.  Here to tell us more about these findings is Delvin Davis, author of the study, “Out of Balan...

Last week, two Baton Rouge area elementary school teachers were recognized with the Milken Educator Award, a nationwide honor sometimes described as “the Oscars of Teaching.” Today, the two teachers, Dereka Duncan and Elise Frederic , tell us more about this accomplishment.  When a hurricane strikes, it’s not just the immediate wind and rain damage that causes concern. Many are also forced to grap...

Le Petit Theatre’s production of The Color Purple , the musical based on Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, has been extended through February 5th. It tells the story of Celie, an African American woman and her journey toward empowerment and self-love in the American South. Baton Rouge actress Taylor James, who stars as Celie, joins us for more. The Musaica Chamber Ensemble continues its...