Louisiana Cultural Vistas magazine receives eight Press Club awards 

Photo by Philip Gould

Louisiana Cultural Vistas, the LEH's acclaimed magazine covering the history and culture of Louisiana, scored eight awards, including four first-place honors, on July 16 at the 53rd Annual Press Club of New Orleans Awards Ceremony. The magazine's contributing photographers, writers and designer won the following prizes, eliciting praise from the judges:

FIRST PLACE

• Kathy Finn, author of "Yes He Can Can," a profile of legendary New Orleans musician Allen Toussaint, in the category of entertainment news (summer, 2010).
  Juror's comment: "Very entertaining and informative feature-loved the dance references." 
• David Rae Morris, for his general news photograph of oil-coated pelicans being rescued following the Gulf oil spill of 2010. (fall, 2010).
• Toan Nguyen, staff designer, for his layout and design of "General Claire Lee Chennault and His Flying Tigers" (summer, 2010). Juror's comment:  "Fabulous! The art, the creative borders and backgrounds. It was a perfect blend of design and story coming together."
• Philip Gould, for his portrait of the late musician Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown. (summer, 2010). Juror's comment:  "Nice lighting. Nice portrait."  

SECOND PLACE

• Jessica Harris, food historian, for her series of columns "Louisiana Foodways" (All issues, 2010).

THIRD PLACE

• Toan Nguyen, for his editorial illustration of Governor Jimmie Davis in the feature story "The Sunshine Governor" (Fall, 2010).  Juror's comment:  "With a traditional poster treatment, this stylized piece of art relies on a dynamic composition and high contrast." 
• Tom Uskali, book reviewer, for his "Bookstand" critical review of This Louisiana Thing that Drives Me: The Legacy of Ernest J. Gaines (Winter, 2010).
• Susan Larson, for her feature story "The Pursuit of Pleasure and Perfection," a biographical sketch of the late New Orleans food critic Richard Collin (Winter, 2010). Juror's comment:  "Larson not only brings Collin to life by mixing unexpected details with the well-known, but she has knack for eliciting insightful, character-adding quotes."   

Since its debut issue in the spring of 1990, Louisiana Cultural Vistas has garnered more than 118 awards from the Press Club. Entries are judged by other Press Clubs from across the nation, this year's jurors included journalism professionals in Los Angeles, Milwaukee, San Francisco, Cleveland and San Diego.

The summer 2011 issue is now in print and may be viewed online, along with 33 back issues dating to 2002, at: http://www.leh.org/html/lcv.html. With each new issue, two back issues are uploaded in digital format, with the ultimate goal of presenting the entire archive at a future date. Print subscriptions are a mere $20 and may be ordered at the website.   

In August, children across Louisiana will return to the classroom for another school year. Most of these children don't fully appreciate their parents' challenge to locate and secure a spot for them in a good school. Parents sixty years ago encountered a school board that closed schools' doors to children who were not white, maintaining a so-called separate-but-equal system approved by the U.S. Supreme Court in the late 19^th century. In 1954, however, the Supreme Court reversed the earlier decision and ruled that racially segregated public schools were unconstitutional. Faced with a mandate to integrate, some New Orleans parents and the public school board successfully prevented desegregation until 1960. That summer, four little African-American school girls entered previously all-white institutions.

For more information about the New Orleans School Desegregation Crisis, visit this entry www.knowla.org/entry.php?rec=723 at KnowLA, the LEH's Online Encyclopedia of Louisiana History and Culture. KnowLA also offers an interactive media timeline on the issue, a terrific educational tool for use in the home and classroom. The timeline can be found here at www.knowla.org/entry-media-gallery.php?rec=723&view=media-gallery.

Boh Brothers Construction renews PRIME TIME sponsorship

The LEH and PRIME TIME staffs thank Robert S. Boh, President of Boh Brothers Construction, for renewing the company's $10,000 annual sponsorship of PRIME TIME Family Reading Time for 2011-2012. From the first days of the company's 2010-2011 sponsorship, Mr. Boh's commitment to improving education across Greater New Orleans was evident. Despite a busy schedule and many competing commitments, he personally visited both PRIME TIME programs made possible by his company's generosity. In short, Boh Brothers Construction is actively partnering with the LEH and PRIME TIME to change lives for the better by ending the cycle of illiteracy and low-literacy in our community.  

Jones Family Foundation supports PRIME TIME

PRIME TIME spring 2012 Louisiana grant applications now available!

The PRIME TIME staff is now accepting applications for spring 2012 programs in Louisiana.  Public libraries, schools, community centers and other public institutions are encouraged to apply. The deadline is Sept. 15.  

PRIME TIME is a unique humanities-focused and outcomes-based family literacy program. Created by the LEH in 1991, PRIME TIME's mission is to create the precondition for future learning among economically and educationally vulnerable families. PRIME TIME's methodology is proven to generate long-term improvements in student achievement by transforming families into individual and collective communities that continue to read and learn together long after the program ends.  Read more about PRIME TIMEand student achievement here.

Due to an extreme reduction in state funding, the LEH has reduced the number of awards available for spring 2012. Eligible applications not approved for spring 2012 will be considered for future terms, upon reapplication, if additional funding becomes available. Eligible organizations will be kept up-to-date on the status of their PRIME TIME grant applications.  

Click here to access a PRIME TIME grant application.  Or, for more information about PRIME TIMEdownload our program brochure, or email  primetime@leh.org.  

The RELIC library reading program schedule for fall programs is confirmed, with a program in every major region of the state.  A list of the locations and programs follows:

• Abbeville - Vermilion Parish Library. "Folktales and Stories of the South and Louisiana." Sept. 15-Oct. 20. 
• Alexandria - Westside Regional Branch, Alexandria, Rapides Parish Library.  "Encounter in Louisiana." Sept. 8-Oct. 13.
• Bossier City - Bossier Parish Historical Center, Bossier Parish Library. "The Louisiana Purchase: Impact and Legacy." Sept. 8-Oct. 13.
• Covington - St. Tammany Parish Library. "Encounter in Louisiana." Sept. 7-Oct. 12. 
• Gonzales - Ascension Parish Library.  "Encounter in Louisiana." Sept. 22-Oct. 27.
• Gray - Terrebonne Parish Library. "The Louisiana Purchase: Impact and Legacy." Sept. 12-Oct. 17.
• Napoleonville - Assumption Parish Library. "I'll Be Seeing You . . . America and World War II." Oct. 13-Nov. 17.
• Ringgold - Bienville Parish Library. "Battleground Louisiana: Civil War Events and Experiences." Sept. 20-Oct. 25.
• Shreveport - Hamilton/S.Caddo Branch, Shreve Memorial Library. "Elizabeth I of England and Her Times." Sept. 13-Oct. 18.
• Vidalia - Concordia Parish Library. "In the Cross Hairs: Louisiana's Hurricane Experience." Sept. 29-Oct. 13.

Don't see one near you? Ask your public library to consider offering one in the future.

For additional information about RELIC programs, contact Jim Segreto at 504-620-2477 or segreto@leh.org.

The Smithsonian Institution's Journey Stories is continuing its run in Leesville, La., through Aug. 29. Journey Stories uses imagery, audio and artifacts to "tell the individual stories that illustrate the critical roles travel and movement have played in building our diverse American Society." In conjunction with the exhibition, the following events will take place in August at Gallery 111, 111 Third St., Leesville:

• Aug. 6  - Lecture: "Great Louisiana Maneuvers," Mr. Nick Pollacia           
• Aug. 13 - Lecture: "War Brides of World War II & More Current Settlers," Dr. Kathleen Smith           
• Aug. 16 - Film: The Great Louisiana Maneuvers, produced by Clements Productions.           
• Aug. 20 - Lecture: "Italians and Western Louisiana," Dr. Ginger Jones.           
• Aug. 29 - Film: American Utopia, produced by Louisiana Public Broadcasting, Ellen Ibert.

For additional information about Leesville's Journey Stories exhibition and programs, call 337-208-1762 or visit www.galleryoneellleven.org.  

This program is funded by a grant from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.Visit the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities website to read more about Journey Stories! www.leh.org/html/museum.html