Exploring New Orleans, LA

Since I recently traveled to New Orleans for a social sciences conference, I would like to share some of my photographs and the history of Louisiana's renowned port city. New Orleans was established by the French Mississippi Company in May 1718. The colony, named after Philippe II, Duke of Orleans, faced numerous struggles with the Natives in Southern Louisiana, yet emerged as a powerful shipping city at the start of the nineteenth century, famous for its smuggling. New Orleans and the Louisiana Territory was transferred to the Spanish after the American Revolution, then back to the French's hands, before being acquired by the United States in 1803. An influx of American east-coast civilians, Europeans, and Haitian refugees settled in the city after the Louisiana Purchase. By the early 1810s, a majority of the city's population was black; between 1808 and 1865, more than 2 million African slaves were forcibly displayed at auctions in New Orleans. The plot of land that the city's Omni Hotel currently sits on used to be the home of New Orleans's largest slave pen, which operated six days a week. Slave traders who resided in New Orleans included Hope Hull Slatter, John Hagan, and Joseph Bruin. Solomon Northup, the freeman who was cruelly coerced into slavery for 12 years, was sold at Theophilus Freeman's slave pen in New Orleans. Owing to slavery and cotton, New Orleans's wealth steadily grew.

Following the Civil War and elimination of slavery, New Orleans, like most of the American South, played host to several violent riots and racial lynchings. At the turn of the twentieth century, the city's population and once-great national importance diminished since the growth of railroads and highways took over the once-used river travel, and thousands of colored folks migrated to California and the West. By the 1950s, New Orleans was no longer the leading urban area in the South, with Houston, Dallas, and Atlanta eclipsing its trading records. Towards the end of the twentieth century, the city built its industry on tourist attractions, most notably Bourbon Street (with its world-famous bars, strip clubs, and nightlife entertainment). Unfortunately, most of New Orleans was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. Labeled as "the worst engineering disaster in the world since Chernobyl," the flooding of this brilliant city devastated Louisiana's landscape. The hurricane's storm surge overpowered the city levees, permitting tons of water to swarm the streets. People were killed, electricity was out, and homes were destroyed. Thousands evacuated to surrounding areas and seeked help from temporary Red Cross shelters, including in Dallas (my mum volunteered at a shelter during the Katrina crisis). Federal, state, and local institutions helped the city civilians rebuild New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Slowly, the infrastructure was reconstructed and New Orleans again became the vibrant city we all know and love. I am incredibly grateful to have participated in the SSSA conference and visit such a colorful and magnificent city like New Orleans.

One of the highlights of the trip was a lunch at Ruby Slipper Café, where I had eggs benedict with Applewood smoked bacon for the first time. It was delicious!

Are my photographs making you hungry yet? My wife and I ate at Acme Oyster House and feasted on po'boy sandwiches (mine was stuffed with roast beef while my wife had fried shrimp in hers). Po'boys are traditionally eaten at lunch and are made with French baguettes.   

An inside look at Café Beignet on Royal Street. Beignets are deep-fried pastries covered with powered sugar, and are delicious when hot. These fresh doughnuts originated in France and were brought over to New Orleans by colonists in the eighteenth century. My wife and I also had beignets at Café Du Monde.

Situated in front of Jackson Square, St. Louis Cathedral is a monstrous, imposing building. The current church was built in 1789 and is currently the oldest cathedral in continuous use in the United States. The church is named in honor of King Louis IX of France (who was a progressive monarch). Don't fret if you sin on Bourbon Street since you can repent in the church a couple of blocks away.

Jackson Square, which is a block away from Bourbon Street, is a beautiful city park. A handsome statue of President Andrew Jackson (who also commanded American forces at the 1815 Battle of New Orleans) sits in the center of the square. Jackson Square is the site of the Louisiana Purchase signing in 1803. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960.

Bourbon Street is New Orleans' famous tourist destination where visitors can either grab an alcoholic beverage, visit one of the several strip clubs, or dance all night. Loud jazz music and flashing lights are common. The energy along Bourbon Street (which covers 13 blocks) was electrifying. 

The mask has become an icon of New Orleans. French aristocrats used to wear masks and fancy costumes at grand parties and dances. That piece of culture was transferred to North America when the Europeans settled in South Louisiana in the seventeenth century. Today, masks are worn at Mardi Gras.

Canal Street is one of the largest and widest avenues in the city. It was the dividing line between the older colonial part of New Orleans and the modern business center. Originally supposed to be a canal that would transport people and commerce, Canal Street was built as a road when the city needed more avenues. Streetcars, like the two seen in this photograph, are common modes of travel among tourists.

My wife and I stayed at Hotel Monteleone during our visit. Nestled in the French Quarter on Royal Street, the 4-star hotel is one of the city's landmarks and oldest hotels (built in 1886). Many renowned writers and poets have stayed at Hotel Monteleone, including F. Scott Fitzgerald, Stephen Ambrose, Ernest Hemingway, and Erie Stanley Gardner.