March 2010 e-Newsletter
left_round LEH names New Orleans jazz musician & scholar "Humanist of the Year"

Dr. Michael White, acclaimed New Orleans jazz clarinetist, scholar and Xavier University music educator, has been named "2010 Humanist of the Year" by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities.

Each year, the LEH honors Louisianians who have made outstanding contributions to the study and understanding of the humanities. In addition to Humanist of the Year, awards are given for Lifetime Contribution to the Humanities, Chair's Award for Institutional Support, Humanities Documentary Film of the Year, Individual Achievement in the Humanities, Public Humanities Programming, Humanities Book of the Year, the Humanities Teacher of the Year and, new this year, the Michael P. Smith Memorial Award for Documentary Photography. The LEH is the Louisiana affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Mark this date! The 2010 awards ceremony will be held at 12:30 p.m. March 6, 2010, at Houmas House Plantation and Gardens on River Road in Darrow, La., just south of Baton Rouge. For ticket information about the awards ceremony, contact Brian Boyles at the LEH, 504-620-2622 or boyles@leh.org.

Recipients of the 2010 LEH awards include:
  • Humanist of the Year - Michael White, Ph.D., of New Orleans, renowned jazz clarinetist, bandleader, composer, jazz historian and Xavier University music educator.
  • Lifetime Contribution to the Humanities - Gloria Fiero, Ph.D., of Lafayette, retired professor of history at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and Professor Emerita in History and Art..
  • Chair's Award for Institutional Support - Phyllis Taylor of New Orleans, chair and president of the Patrick F. Taylor Foundation.    
  • Legislators of the Year - Senate President Joel Chaisson of Destrehan, La., and Senator Lydia P. Jackson of Shreveport for their steadfast and effective advocacy to assist the LEH in securing state resources to support its statewide humanities programs.
  • Public Humanities Programming - Todd Mouton, Louisiana Crossroads, of Lafayette, and Virginia Carter, Ph.D., and Kathleen Poole of the Kentucky Humanities Council.
  • Individual Achievement in the Humanities - Ann Dobie, Ph.D. of Lafayette, and David Kunian of New Orleans.  
  • Humanities Documentary Film of the Year - All Over but to Cry, by Jennifer John Block of New Orleans.  
  • Michael P. Smith Documentary Photography - Syndey Byrd of New Orleans.
  • 2010 Humanities Book of the Year - Bienville's Dilemma, by Richard Campanella, Ph.D., of New Orleans.
left_round Louisiana Cultural Vistas magazine

The spring 2010 issue of Louisiana Cultural Vistas will debut at the annual Humanities Awards Ceremony on March 6. Subscribers should see copies in their mailboxes shortly thereafter. Now in its 21st year, Louisiana's premiere magazine of arts, culture, literature and history continues to find topics of wide interest to readers. Among the highlights of the forthcoming issue:
  • A selection of paintings by New Orleans artist Simon Gunning, depicting the lush environs of Avery Island. Gunning has long been known for his depictions of New Orleans, particularly the riverfront and its wharves. In the past year he has sought new inspiration in the wetlands of this private nature reserve in Iberia Parish. LEH Deputy Director John R. Kemp interviews the artist as our cover story.
  • A photo essay by Syndey Byrd, the 2010 recipient of the LEH's Michael P. Smith Award for Documentary Photography, spanning her three-decade career documenting all aspects of south Louisiana's cultural mix.
  • A history of steamboats that once plied the waters of the Red River, docking at the ports of Alexandria and Shreveport.
  • A biographical sketch of J. Hanno Deiler, a German-American civic booster who encouraged German immigration and cultural activities in late 19th- and early 20th-century New Orleans.
  • The origins of New Orleans' reputation as a culinary capital and the lure of its renowned restaurants.
  • Photographs by Sylvaine Sancton, accompanied with text by her husband and writer Tom Sancton, exploring the hurricane-ravaged piers of New Orleans' West End where beauty can be found amid the ruins.
Subscriptions to Louisiana Cultural Vistas cost a mere $20. Share the best of Louisiana with your friends and family as a gift. Subscribe by logging on to www.leh.org.
left_round BP America Supports PRIME TIME Family Reading Time

The LEH is pleased to announce that BP America has donated $188,000 to support 15 PRIME TIME Family Reading Time programs across Louisiana in 2010. This donation is the largest individual corporate donation in the LEH's 39-year history. BP's total project support will exceed $225,000. "The importance of BP America's gift cannot be overstated," said LEH Director of Institutional Advancement Jeff Hale. "BP America's visionary philanthropy will supplement core State of Louisiana funding and ensure that, despite the current atmosphere of economic malaise, the LEH's marquee family literacy program will continue unabated - improving and changing the lives of Louisiana families throughout 2010."

"BP America is proud to partner with the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities and to extend the reach and longevity of the PRIME TIME program," said Marti Powers, BP senior external affairs manager.  "PRIME TIME goes back to basics, and addresses the fundamentals.  With this financial contribution, BP will play an active role in impacting the lives of students who have typically struggled with reading, which is the foundation for all classroom learning, including math and science.  PRIME TIME provides an interactive, fun and exciting experience for families, and we are excited to make a statewide commitment in support of our employees, and the Louisiana educational system."

A joint LEH-BP America press conference was held in the Louisiana Humanities Center at Turners' Hall, Patrick F. Taylor Auditorium on Thursday Feb. 4.  Speakers at the event included:  Dr. Michael Sartisky, LEH president and executive director; Patrick L. King, BP vice president, global operations remediation management; and Irvin Mayfield, nationally-renowned musician and chairman, New Orleans Public Library. Numerous LEH board members, as well as community, political, and private sector leaders from across the state attended the event. The announcement coincided with the initiation of a statewide radio and print visibility campaign for the PRIME TIME program. For additional information on the LEH-BP America partnership, contact Dr. Jeff Hale at 504-606-4628 or hale@leh.org.
left_round Smithsonian exhibit to tour six Louisiana towns in 2011-2012

The Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, or LEH, is pleased to announce that a traveling Smithsonian Institution exhibition will tour six Louisiana towns from May 28, 2011 to March 11, 2012. The six communities were selected through an open competition to host the exhibition entitled Journey Stories, which examines the intersection between human migration to and within America and the transportation technology that enabled the settling of our nation. The Journey Stories exhibit will appear in the following communities in this order:
  • St. Martinville - The Acadian Memorial - May 28-July 9, 2011    
  • Leesville - Vernon Parish Tourism Commission - July 16-Aug. 27, 2011
  • Denham Springs -Old City Hall Museum - Sept. 3-Oct. 15, 2011
  • Lake Providence - Louisiana State Cotton Museum - Oct. 22-Dec. 3, 2011
  • Long Leaf - Southern Forest Heritage Museum - Dec. 10, 2011-Jan. 28, 2012
  • St. Francisville - West Feliciana Historical Society - Feb. 4-March 11, 2012
Journey Stories examines the intersection between modes of travel and Americans' desire to feel free to move. The story is diverse and focuses on immigration, migration, innovation, and freedom. It is accounts of immigrants coming in search of promise in a new country; stories of individuals and families relocating in search of fortune, their own homestead, or employment; the harrowing journeys of Africans and Native Americans forced to move and their courage and resiliency in maintaining and renewing their cultures across generations; and, of course, fun and frolic on the open road.

Besides covering all exhibition rental costs - $9,000 over the three-year cycle - and dedicating up to $39,000 in grants (contingent on the availability of funds) for planning, local exhibitions and public programs to the six host sites, the LEH will provide continuous technical assistance to the sponsoring organizations on exhibition and program development, fundraising, publicity and promotion, collaboration and budget planning - all of which will benefit these organizations long after Journey Stories leaves town. For additional information, contact Rachel Norman at 504-620-2479 or norman@leh.org.
left_round KnowLA Online Encyclopedia

The encyclopedia of Louisiana culture and history is making great strides toward a beta test-run this summer. To keep people informed of what is under development in the months before then, we will be posting a KnowLA blog with updates on our progress, as well as opportunities for your comments. Look for the KnowLA Project Blog in mid-March! For more information about KnowLA, contact Dr. Cathy Corder at corder@leh.org.
left_round LEH-sponsored events around the state

Baton Rouge: Louisiana Crossroads presents The Preservation Hall Jazz Band at 7p.m., March 14 at the Manship Theatre, 100 Lafayette St, Baton Rouge, La. The band gets its name from the venerable music venue in the heart of the New Orleans French Quarter- the Preservation Hall. It began touring in 1963 and has traveled worldwide, spreading its mission to nurture and perpetuate New Orleans jazz. The founding artists passed on the lessons of their music to a younger generation who now follows in their footsteps. For more information, call 337-233-7060 or visit www.louisianacrossroads.org.

Crowley: Louisiana Crossroads presents internationally-renowned militant, activist, singer-songwriter and poet Zachary Richard at 8 p.m., March 5 at the Grand Opera House of the South, 505 North Parkerson Avenue, Crowley. Richard's roots are deeply planted in his native Louisiana.  Inspired by the various styles of the region, his songs go beyond the limitations of any particular genre. Zachary's style is uniquely his own. For more information, call 337-233-7060 or visit www.louisianacrossroads.org.

Erath: The Center for Cultural & Eco-Tourism presents "Farming the Wetlands of Old Acadie: A Permanent Museum Exhibit and Symposium Exploring the Ecology and Cultural Traditions of Early Acadians," at 1 p.m. March 27 at the Acadian Museum, 203 South Broadway, Erath. Developed in 2006 at LSU, the exhibit explores the ecological backdrop and agricultural innovations of the early Acadian settlers during the seventeenth century. For more information, call 337-482-6871.

Lake Charles: Louisiana Crossroads and McNeese Banners Cultural Series present internationally-renowned artist Zachary Richard at 7:30 p.m. March 6 at the F.G. Bulber Auditorium on the McNeese University Campus, 4205 Ryan St., Lake Charles. Militant environmentalist and cultural activist, poet and singer-songwriter Zachary Richard has his roots deeply planted in his native Louisiana - although he's been gone a good bit, too. From 1976-1981, he lived in Montreal and recorded seven French language albums. He came home in the 1980s and started touring and recording. But in 1994 he returned to Canada and began a new collection of French songs. The result was the double platinum Cap Enrage. Now he's back Louisiana and he wrote the songs on his latest album, Last Kiss, in English. For more information, call 337-233-7060 or 337-475-5123, or visit www.louisianacrossroads.org or www.banners.org.

Lafayette: Louisiana Crossroads presents The Preservation Hall Jazz Band at 8 p.m., March 12 at the Vermilionville Performance Center, 300 Fisher Road, Lafayette. The band gets its name from the venerable music venue in the heart of the New Orleans French Quarter- the Preservation Hall. It began touring in 1963 and has traveled worldwide, spreading its mission to nurture and perpetuate New Orleans jazz. The founding artists passed on the lessons of their music to a younger generation who now follows in their footsteps. For more information, call 337-233-7060 or visit www.louisianacrossroads.org.

Lake Charles: Louisiana Crossroads and McNeese Banners Cultural Series present The Preservation Hall Jazz Band at 7:30 p.m. March 13 at the F.G. Bulber Auditorium on the McNeese University Campus, 4205 Ryan St., Lake Charles. The band gets its name from the venerable music venue in the heart of the New Orleans French Quarter- the Preservation Hall. It began touring in 1963 and has traveled worldwide, spreading its mission to nurture and perpetuate New Orleans jazz. The founding artists passed on the lessons of their music to a younger generation who now follows in their footsteps. For more information, call 337-233-7060 or 337-475-5123, or visit www.louisianacrossroads.org or www.banners.org.

New Iberia: Louisiana Crossroads presents The Preservation Hall Jazz Band at 7 p.m. March 11 at the Sliman Theater, 129 East Main Street, New Iberia. The band gets its name from the venerable music venue in the heart of the New Orleans French Quarter- the Preservation Hall. It began touring in 1963 and has traveled worldwide, spreading its mission to nurture and perpetuate New Orleans jazz. The founding artists passed on the lessons of their music to a younger generation who now follows in their footsteps. This performance will also be broadcasted live on KRVS 88.7 FM. For more information, call 337-233-7060 or visit www.louisianacrossroads.org and www.krvs.org.

New Orleans: The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation presents "Digging: The Afro-American Soul of American Classical Music," a lecture by famed poet and music scholar Amiri Baraka at 7 p.m. March 25, at the Lawless Memorial Chapel, Dillard University, 2601 Gentilly Blvd., New Orleans. Baraka, perhaps best known for his 1963 book "Blues People: Negro Music in White America," has published numerous plays, poetry collections, essays and books in a career that spans more than 45 years. He has also appeared as an actor in several films, including the 1998 Warren Beatty comedic drama Bulworth. Jazz saxophonist Edward "Kidd" Jordan will also perform. The event is part of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation's longstanding Tom Dent Congo Square Lecture Series. For more information, call 504-558-6100.

New Orleans: The 24th annual Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival, funded each year by the LEH and winner of the 2008 Governor's Arts Award for Outstanding Arts Organization, takes place in the heart of the historic French Quarter March 24-28, 2010. Join literary and theatrical luminaries in the beautiful French Quarter for four days, and one glamorous evening, of literary programs, theater, music, scholarship, food and fun.  Literary participants will include: Academy Award Winner John Patrick Shanley (Moonstruck, 1988), acclaimed New Orleans chef John Besh, writers Edward Albee, Joseph Boyden and John Dufrene,  Emmy Award-winning journalist and bestselling author Cokie Roberts, and playwright Edward Albee, just to name a few. For more information, call 504-581-1144 or visit www.tennesseewilliams.net.

Ruston: Louisiana Tech University presents former National Organization of Women president and current fellow at the Harvard Institute of Politics Kim Gandy who will be lecturing at the Lincoln Parish Library, 910 North Trenton Street, Ruston, on March 30 (time to be determined). After graduating from Louisiana Tech University in 1973 with a degree in mathematics, Gandy worked as a forecaster and statistical analyst for the telephone company, South Central Bell. She joined NOW in 1973. Five years thereafter, she graduated from the Loyola University School of Law in New Orleans and promptly found a job as an assistant district attorney in that city. Since 2001, Gandy has led NOW campaigns on issues ranging from Supreme Court nominations to the rights of mothers and caregivers, from Social Security reform to ending the war in Iraq. Through grassroots political action, Gandy helped increase the women's vote and change the face of Congress in 2006. For more information, call 318-257-5480.

Plaquemine: The Iberville Museum, 57735 Main St., presents the latest installment of its People of Iberville exhibition and public program series entitled Anglo-Scotch of Iberville. The exhibition showcases the cultural, political and economic contributions of Anglo-Scots-born settlers in the region. It opens March 14 and continues through May 22. For more information, call 225-687-7197.

Shreveport: The Meadows Museum of Art at Centenary College of Louisiana, 2911 Centenary Blvd., continues its Uniquely Louisiana Collectors series with Focus Gallery: Selections from the Collection of David and Nicole Holcombe. The exhibit will include approximately two dozen works in a variety of media by Louisiana artists, some well-known and others not as well, collected over a period of 25 years by David and Nicole Holcombe of Alexandria. Included in this collection are works by Latin American artist Maria Lopez, Natchitoches State University Professor of Art Bill Bryant, and ceramist Chris Kelly among others. Beginning Feb. 28, The Second Northwest Louisiana Artists' Triennial Competition will highlight the art produced by contemporary working artists in the Northwest region of the state. The event will be juried by Louisiana collectors David and Nicole Holcombe and Louisiana artist Maria Lopez. For more information, call 318-869-5014 or visit www.centenary.edu/meadows.
left_round RELIC: Readings in Literature and Culture

The LEH has a full statewide lineup of RELIC adult reading programs on topics raging from Queen Elizabeth to Creole identity.  For more information about RELIC programs in your area, contact Jim Segreto, director of RELIC Library Programs 504-620-2477 or segreto@leh.org. 
  • Baton Rouge, Goodwood Branch, East Baton Rouge Parish Library.  225-231-3746. "Becoming American: The Literature of Immigration and Acculturation." Thursdays, April 15-May 20, 7-9 p.m.
  • Colfax, Grant Parish Library.   318-627-9920. "Folktales and Stories of the South and Louisiana." Thursdays, March 18-April 22, 6-8 p.m.  
  • DeQuincy, Calcasieu Parish Library.  337-721-7087. "I'll Be Seeing You. . .America and World War II."  Mondays, Apr. 12-May 17, 4-6 p.m.
  • Houma, Terrebonne Parish Library. 985-876-5858. "The Creole Identity and Experience in Louisiana Literature and History." Wednesdays, Feb. 24-March 31, 10 a.m-12 p.m.
  • Monroe, Stubbs Avenue Branch, Ouachita Parish Public Library. 318-327-1490. "Elizabeth I of England and Her Times." Thursdays, April 8-May 13, 6:30-8:30 p.m.  
  • Napoleonville, Assumption Parish Library. 985-369-7070. "Louisiana Characters: Biographies of the Bayou State."  Thursdays, March 25-April 29 4-6 p.m.  
  • New Orleans, Mid-City Public Library. 504-596-2656. "Louisiana History: Perspectives on the Pelican State." Wednesdays, March 24-April 28, 6:30-8:30 p.m.  
  • St. Francisville, West Feliciana Parish Library. 225-784-0260. "Encounter in Louisiana."  Tuesdays, May 4-June 8, 9:30-11:30 a.m.  
  • Shreveport, The University of First Presbyterian Church.  318-222-0604. "Elizabeth I of England and Her Times." Thursdays, Feb.18-March 25, 6-8:00 p.m.
  • Shreveport, Broadmoor Branch, Shreve Memorial Library.  318-219-1701. "Louisiana History: Perspectives on the Pelican State."  Wednesdays, Feb. 24-March 31, 5-7 p.m.
  • Winnsboro, Franklin Parish Library.  318-435-4336. "Where Is North Louisiana?"  Tuesdays, April 6-May 11, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
left_round LEH grant applications now online


The LEH is pleased to announce it is now accepting grant applications online, and moving toward a fully electronic grants management system. Through a partnership with Montana-based Foundant Technologies, the LEH is now able to receive electronic applications, and allow grantees to submit required reporting and accounting documents online. Applicants can establish password-protected profiles, wherein they can start new applications and save drafts as they work. The software also allows applicants to create PDFs of their completed proposals for printing and saving for personal files. Foundant's "Fax-to-File" function allows applicants without access to a scanner to easily create digital versions of paper documents using a traditional Fax machine.

Grants funded for the Nov. 15 Outreach Grant deadline will also be managed online, with required reporting and accounting documents submitted electronically. Projects funded at the following deadlines will submit hard-copy reporting and accounting documents: May 1 Public Humanities; May 15, July 15 and Nov. 15 Outreach; and Oct. 1 Teacher Institutes for Advanced Study.

As the LEH moves toward a policy of only accepting grant applications electronically, staff members will work with applicants on a case-by-case basis to familiarize them with the new system and make any needed accommodations. For more information, contact Grants Director Rachel Norman at norman@leh.org.