Random Photos!

LtoR: Dorothy "Beatty" Brown, Ernestine Meadows, Florine Bell, Doristene Bell, Bobby Welch, Raymond Walston, Theo "Dute" Hay, LouVata, Ferdinand "Sonny" Bell, W.C. Burch, Geneva Bell, Esther "Pudding" Brown, Joseph James, Mattie, Bernice Meadows, Doanie Lowery, Jean, Oddie Mae Abbott, Mildred James   at Mt. Sinai School

Happy Fat Tuesday! (Video and Live Cam)

http://www.earthcam.com/usa/louisiana/neworleans/bourbonstreet/?cam=bourbonstreet

Black History Month: Today Is Ruby Bridges Day!

Today is Ruby Bridges Day, to commemorate a brave little girl's entry into an all-white school on November 14, 1960.

As soon as Bridges entered the school, white parents pulled their own children out; all teachers refused to teach while a black child was enrolled. Only one person agreed to teach Ruby and that was Barbara Henry, from Boston, Massachusetts, and for over a year Mrs. Henry taught her alone, "as if she were teaching a whole class." Every morning, as Bridges walked to school, one woman would threaten to poison her;[7] because of this, the U.S. Marshals dispatched by President Eisenhower, who were overseeing her safety, only allowed Ruby to eat food that she brought from home. Another woman at the school put a black baby doll in a wooden coffin and protested with it outside the school, a sight that Bridges said "scared me more than the nasty things people screamed at us." At her mother's suggestion, Bridges began to pray on the way to school, which she found provided protection from the comments yelled at her on the daily walks. 
Taken from Planting Peace via WLIB 1190's FB page

About "12 Year.s A Slave" And Louisiana!

Why “12 Years a Slave” Will Always Matter to Louisiana

by Lamar White, Jr on November 4, 2013

I had a slight advantage over the other kids in my junior high Louisiana history class: Two of my great-aunts, Sue Eakin and Manie Culbertson, wrote our textbook, Louisiana: The Land and Its People. I was the only person in my class (and probably the only kid in the entire state) whose textbook was inscribed by its authors. Of course, this wasn’t something you brag about in junior high, and I knew it probably wasn’t wise to tell my teacher that my aunts first gave me their book when I was in the fourth grade, lest he think I had somehow already memorized the whole thing.

http://cenlamar.com/2013/11/04/why-12-years-a-slave-will-always-matter-to-louisiana/ Read Complete Article at above link.

Louisiana Facts And Trivia!

LOUISIANA FACTS AND TRIVIA

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1. The world famous "Mardi Gras" is celebrated in New Orleans. Mardi Gras is an ancient custom that originated in southern Europe. It celebrates food and fun just before the 40 days of Lent: a Catholic time of prayer and sacrifice.
2. The Battle of New Orleans, which made Andrew Jackson a national hero, was fought two weeks after the War of 1812 had ended and more than a month before the news of the war's end had reached Louisiana.
3. Louisiana was named in honor of King Louis XIV.
4. Baton Rouge hosted the 1983 Special Olympics International Summer Games at LSU.
5. Louisiana has the tallest state capitol building in the United States; the building is 450 feet tall with 34 floors.
6. Louisiana is the only state in the union that does not have counties. Its political subdivisions are called parishes.
7. Louisiana is the only state with a large population of Cajuns, descendants of the Acadians who were driven out of Canada in the 1700s because they wouldn't pledge allegiance to the King of England.
8. The Superdome in New Orleans is the worlds largest steel-constructed room unobstructed by posts. Height: 273 feet (82.3 meters), Diameter of Dome: 680 feet (210 meters), Area of Roof: 9.7 acres, Interior Space: 125,000,000 cubic feet, Total floor footage: 269,000 sq. ft. (82,342 sq. meters), Electrical Wiring: 400 miles (640 kilometers)
9. Metairie is home to the longest bridge over water in the world, the Lake Pontchartrain causeway. The causeway connects Metairie with St. Tammany Parish on the North Shore. The causeway is 24 miles long.
10. Louisiana is the only state that still refers to the Napoleonic Code in its state law.
11. Since 1835 the New Orleans & Carrolliton Line is the oldest street railway line still in operation.
12. Saint Martin Parish is home to the world's largest freshwater river basin, the Atchafalaya Basin; the basin provides nearly every type of outdoor recreational activity imaginable.
13. Breaux Bridge is known as the "Crawfish Capital of the World".
14. The first American army to have African American officers was the confederate Louisiana Native Guards. The Corps d'Afrique at Port Hudson was sworn into service on September 27, 1862.
15. In Louisiana, biting someone with your natural teeth is considered a simple assault, but biting someone with your false teeth is considered an aggravated assault.
16. The Saint Charles streetcar line in New Orleans and the San Francisco, California cable cars are the nation's only mobile national monuments
17. Jennings is called the "Garden Spot of Louisiana" for it's rich and productive farmland. Jennings sobriquet {nickname} became a "Northern Town on Southern Soil".
18. Baton Rouge's flag is a field of crimson representing the great Indian nations that once inhabited the area.
19. Money Magazine has rated Terrebonne Parish, in the heart of Cajun Country the best place to live in Louisiana for 3 years in a row.
20. In 1718 The French found New Orleans and marked "Cannes Brulee" on maps upriver in the area known today as the City of Kenner. French for "Burnt Canes", Cannes Brulee was a name given by explorers who observed natives burning cane to drive out wild game.
21. Between April 17,1862 and May 18, 1864 20 major Civil War battles and engagements were fought on Louisiana soil.
22. In 1803 the United States paid France $15 million for the Louisiana Territory. 828,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River. The lands acquired stretched from the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains and from the Gulf of Mexico to the Canadian border. Thirteen states were carved from the Louisiana Territory. The Louisiana Purchase nearly doubled the size of the United States.
23. bayou: \BUY-you\ n. a French name for slow-moving "river"
24. Louisiana's first territorial governor, William C.C. Claiborne had great admiration for the awkward bird that inhabited the Gulf Coast region. The pelican, rather than let its young starve, would tear at its own flesh to feed them. The Governor's great respect for the Pelican led him to first use the Pelican symbol on official documents.
25. The Catahoula Leopard Dog, often called the Catahoula Hound, is the official state dog.
26. The City of Sulphur is the 13th largest city in Louisiana and is named for the chemical and mining industry that helped to establish Calcasieu Parish in the late 1800's.
27. The Town of Walker became a municipality under the State's Lawrason Act (136 of 1898) on July 9, 1909 as a village.
28. Saint Joseph's Cemetery, the only known United States cemetery facing north-south is in Rayne.
29. Incorporated in 1813 under the Lawrason Act, Saint Francisville is the second oldest town in Louisiana.
30. The Union Cottonseed Oil Mill of West Monroe was in the planning stages as early as 1883. By 1887, it provided the area with many jobs for the laborers of the area. The Union Oil Mill is the oldest industry in Ouachita Parish.
31. French speaking Acadians in the mid-1700s settled the Lafayette Parish region of south Louisiana. The Acadians were joined by another group of settlers called Creoles, descendants of African, West Indian, and European pioneers. At the time of the migration, Louisiana was under Spanish rule and authorities welcomed the new settlers.
32. The city of Kaplan is referred to as "The Most Cajun place on earth".
33. The town of Jean Lafitte was once a hideaway for pirates.
34. Winnsboro, the "Stars and Stripes Capital of Louisiana", is one of the most patriotic cities in America. On Memorial Day, July 4th, Veteran's Day, Labor Day, and other special occasions, approximately 350 American flags fly proudly along highway 15.
35. The name "Bogalusa" is derived from the Indian named creek "Bogue Lusa", which flows through the city.
36. Frances Parkinson Keyes, one of America's best selling authors, lived in Crowley for more than ten years.
37. The golden spike, commemorating the completion of the east-west Vicksburg, Shreveport and Pacific Railroad, was driven at Bossier City on July 12, 1884, by Julia "Pansy" Rule. It was the first such spike driven by a woman.
38. Jim Bowie, the legendary adventurer and hero of the Battle of the Alamo, lived in Opelousas after moving there from Kentucky. Opelousas is the third oldest city in Louisiana.
39. The City of Ponchatoula is the oldest incorporated city in Tangipahoa Parish. Ponchatoula derives its name from the Choctaw Indian language meaning "hair to hang" because of the abundance of Spanish moss on the trees surrounding the area.
40. Le Musee de la Ville de Kaplan {The Kaplan Museum} is located in the center of downtown Kaplan. Le Musee at appropriate times has exhibits centered on the seasonal festivals. Mardi Gras, Easter, July 4, Bastille Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas.
41. Rayne is known as the "The Frog Capital of the World".
42. Notations on the original plats of survey for the area that is now Ville Platte stated that surveyors had to use pirogues and flat boats to properly do their work.
43. Because Covington is in a region referred to as the Ozone Belt, it has long been known for its clean air and water.
44. Gueydan is known as the "Duck Capital of America" in recognition of its abundance of waterfowl.
45. Mamou bills itself as "The Cajun Music Capital of the World." Mamou musicians, in particular the musicians who have perform at Fred's Lounge have been a major force in expanding the audience for Cajun music far beyond Southwest Louisiana.
46. The Harvey Canal Locks near Westwego connect the Mississippi River to the Harvey Canal. Back in the 1800s the locks served as ferries to transport railroad cars from one side of the canal to the other. Workers would then reunite the railroad cars on land. This service may have sparked the name of the town. According to one local folk tale, trainmen would shout "West We Go" as the railroad cars were reconnected and pulled out of the station.
47. Church Point boasts the designation "The Buggy Capital of the World". A festival celebrates this designation annually on the first weekend in June.
48. The Creole House in French Settlement was built of cypress wood. It is typical of the dwellings built in the late 1800's because cypress was so plentiful in the surrounding swamps.
49. Fort Polk was established in 1941 and named in honor of the Right Reverend Leonidas Polk, the first Episcopal Bishop of the Diocese of Louisiana. On March 12, 1993, Fort Polk officially became the home of the Joint Readiness Training Center.
50. Pineville is home to a one of a kind museum called the Old Town Hall Museum. It is the only museum in the entire state of Louisiana dedicated to municipal government.

http://www.50states.com/facts/louis.htm?fb_action_ids=10200491721003068&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_ref=.UhwZ-6NSb1M.like&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582#.UivhlcasiSp

Happy Fat Tuesday!

1) What is Mardi Gras and why is it celebrated?

Mardi Gras dates back thousands of years to pagan celebrations of spring and fertility. When Christianity arrived in Rome, religious leaders decided to incorporate the popular tradition into the new faith, so the excess and debauchery of the Carnival season became a prelude to Lent, the 40 days of penance between Ash Wednesday and Easter. Mardi Gras marks the final day of feasting and revelry before the fasting, prayer and moderation of Lent. So, in its most basic form, Carnival and Mardi Gras is all about overindulging.

The first Carnival season made its way to the United States via the French. Many historians say the first American Mardi Gras was on March 3, 1699, when French explorers Bienville and Iberville landed in Louisiana. As the years passed, the holiday became more lavish — and more festive. 

The first recorded New Orleans Carnival parade occurred in 1827, when a group of students in colorful costumes danced through the streets.

In New Orleans today, the early weeks of Carnival are marked with elaborate balls. These balls, which are invitation-only, celebrate the chosen royalty for each krewe, or private club, and also serve as a “coming out” for the season’s crop of debutantes, the daughters of the city’s social scions.

The final weeks, mainly the two leading up to Mardi Gras, are packed with street parades featuring bands, marching groups and large floats packed with costumed riders throwing beads and other trinkets to the masses in the streets. Weekly king cake parties are held in neighborhoods, schools and offices.

By Ash Wednesday, New Orleanians are back at work, albeit a little sluggishly.

2) When is Mardi Gras?

Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, or the beginning of Lent. The term refers to the last chance to eat rich, fatty foods – and for many, the last chance to drink copious amounts of alcohol -- before the Lenten season and its penance, which for many includes giving up something for the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter.

A common misconception is that Mardi Gras is the name for all of the revelry that begins Jan. 6 and continues through Ash Wednesday. This season of revelry is called Carnival; Mardi Gras is the culmination of it all.

The day Carnival season officially begins, Jan. 6, is the Feast of the Epiphany, also known as Twelfth Night or Kings Day. Traditionally, this is the day the first king cakes are eaten.

3) What is king cake all about?

King cakes are traditionally served for the first time on Jan. 6, or Kings Day, and are enjoyed throughout the Carnival season. A traditional king cake is a braided cinnamon-laced brioche-like cake topped with icing and colored sugars: purple, green and gold, symbolizing justice, faith and power. 

Chocolate King Cake at tasting at Gambino's Bakery on Tuesday, February 7, 2011.ELIOT KAMENITZ / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE 

Many bakeries now offer king cakes with fillings of fruit, cream cheese, even chocolate. A small plastic baby is placed inside the cake to symbolize the baby Jesus; the person who gets the piece of cake with the baby is responsible for buying the next king cake, usually within the next week.

Other cultures celebrate Jan. 6 with king cakes as well: In England in the early 19th century, for example, people would eat bits of the“twelfth night cake” in hopes of finding a bean or pea. Whoever found the bean would get to masquerade as a king or queen for the night. In some Spanish-speaking countries, beans or peas are still used. 

4) Is New Orleans the only place Mardi Gras is celebrated?

Absolutely not! New Orleans might have the biggest parades and biggest parties throughout the Carnival season, but other cities across Louisiana, including Baton Rouge, join in on the fun.Mobile, Ala., also holds a big Mardi Gras celebration. 

Outside Louisiana, the most well-known festivals are in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Cologne, Germany; and Italy. 

5) In Baton Rouge, what’s with all the flamingos at the parades?

Pink flamingos are an integral part of the Spanish Town Parade, which rolls the weekend before Mardi Gras in Baton Rouge. Flamingos are the somewhat official mascot of the Spanish Town residents. Residents of this historic Baton Rouge community have traditionally bonded over their differences, a fact those residents are proud to recognize.

Spanish Town Flamingos await new owners on City Park Lake in Baton Rouge on Jan. 12, 2012. Tradition holds that these birds will find new owners once they're picked up by boat.Chelsea Brasted, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune 

“Today, the neighborhood still has a unique sense of community — a sense of difference. To symbolize our difference from the rest of Baton Rouge, my neighbors and I have adopted the pink flamingo as our mascot,” writes Jocelyn Donlon on The Spanish Town Mardi Gras website. 

Spanish Town resident Charles Fisher says he was there for the beginning of the flamingo craze, which began in the early 1980s. 

"I do remember talk of 'this is tacky, that is tacky' and so on," Fisher wrote in an email to NOLA.com. "(Spanish Town resident) Clyde Carlson (found) an ad for flamingos in Old House Magazine that was headed 'RUIN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.' Several of us then placed our orders and away it went. The old flyers from the early 1980s and all my letters always read 'Plant a Flamingo'."

Spanish Town was planned in 1805 and is the oldest neighborhood in Baton Rouge. The area is marked by narrow streets, old buildings, little parking and lots of history.

6) Is Mardi Gras family-friendly?

“Everybody I know brings their kids to the Quarter and the Marigny on Fat Tuesday. It’s a very fun, family time in costume. It’s easy to steer away from Bourbon Street crowds when you have a stroller and a good costume.” – Chris Waddington, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune staff writer

He’s right. Not only are kids OK — with discretion — in the French Quarter on Mardi Gras, but the whole Carnival season is kid-friendly. Most parades are family-friendly. In fact, the Uptown parade route and the suburban parades are packed with families that build their whole days around the Carnival parade schedule.

Although crowds can get tight and there is the occasional bad egg, much of the boozy crowds stick to Bourbon Street, which is home to the huge drag queen contest, where costumes are elaborate, and often fairly raunchy. And contrary to the beliefs of many Mardi Gras novices, women aren’t likely to bare all in family-friendly areas.

7) What’s a krewe and how do I join one?

A Mardi Gras krewe is an organization that puts on a parade and/or a ball during the Carnival season. Krewe members pay annual dues, which finance the krewe’s activities. Many krewes also participate in public service projects throughout the year in New Orleans. 

8) Is there a dress code for a Mardi Gras ball? What about for parades?

The traditional Mardi Gras ball is a lavish affair, calling for floor-length gowns for women and tuxedos for men.

For the parades leading up to Mardi Gras, it’s casual, comfortable attire.

On Mardi Gras, however, costuming is expected. Many New Orleanians go for the satirical, the ironic, the bizarre or just something pretty. Costumes are by no means a requirement, but Mardi Gras is a great time to join the fun. Often, families or groups of friends will don a group-themed costume. Often, the best costumes tend to riff on current events.

9) Can I go to a Mardi Gras ball?

That depends on whom you know. Most balls are invitation-only events, though tickets for some of the newer krewes’ balls are available to the public for a steep fee. The Rex ball, for example, is invitation-only, but the Krewe of Endymion and the Krewe of Cleopatra offer tickets to their parties, which include live music, dancing, food and drink.

10) What’s with the beads?

Parade-goers in New Orleans aren’t just spectators; they are full participants in the spectacle. Each parade krewe is expected to toss beads and other trinkets from their floats, which means parade-goers go home with bags of loot. There are urban legends of New Orleanians having to reinforce their attics to support the weight of the beads caught during Carnival.

Beads refers to the strands of colored plastic or glass beads tossed from the float riders. 

A word of caution: Beads are worn only during Carnival, and then, only if you’ve just come from a parade. Tourists identify themselves by wearing beads in the off-season.

The Times Picayune -