Covering the lively, even raucous, history of Louisiana from before First Contact through the Elections of 2012, this sixth edition of the classic Louisiana history survey provides an engaging and comprehensive narrative of what is arguably America’s most colorful state. Since the appearance of the first edition of this classic text in 1984, Louisiana: A History has remained the best-loved and most highly regarded college-level survey of Louisiana on the market Compiled by some of the foremost experts in the field of Louisiana history who combine their own research with recent historical discoveries Includes complete coverage of the most recent events in political and environmental history, including the continued aftermath of Katrina and the 2010 BP oil spill Considers the interrelationship between Louisiana history and that of the American South and the nation as a whole Written in an engaging and accessible style complemented by more than a hundred photographs and maps

From the earliest colonists through the latest Mardi Gras, Louisiana has had a history as exotic as that of any state. Even its political corruption--extending from French governors for whom office was exploitable property through the "Louisiana Hayride" following the death of Huey Long--seems to have had a glamorous side. Handing the colony of Louisiana back and forth between their empires, the French and Spanish left a legacy that lives in such forms as the architecture of the Vieux Carre and a civil law deriving from the Napoleonic Code. Acadian refugees, German farmers, black slaves and free blacks, along with Italians, Irish, and the "Kaintucks" who helped Andrew Jackson win the Battle of New Orleans added to the state's distinctiveness. Made rich by sugar cane, cotton, and Mississippi River commerce before the Civil War, Louisiana faced poverty afterward. Battles between Bourbon Democrats and Reconstruction Republicans followed, ultimately involving the Custom House Ring and the Knights of the White Camelia. By methods that remain controversial, Huey Long ended "government by gentlemen" with economic transformations other had sought. Gas, oil, and industrialization have additionally "Americanized" the state. Something of Louisiana's historic joie de vivre remains, however, to the gratification of residents and visitors alike; both will enjoy Joe Gray Taylor's telling of the story.

"Firsthand Louisiana: Primary Sources in the History of the State brings to its readers a companion to the study of Louisiana's history. Compiled for the first time in a single book, the dozens of important, interesting, devastating, and even entertaining firsthand accounts cover Louisiana's history from 1682, when Sieur de La Salle claimed the land for the French, up through recent controversies over the removal of Confederate memorial statues in the state. Edited by experts in the field of Louisiana history who saw a need for a collection of primary sources in the college history classroom, it also provides a fascinating read for non-academics who simply want to gain the perspective of the people- women, men, Native Americans, whites, African Americans, and many others-who created the state's complicated past. Gain on-the-scene views of important moments in the Bayou State. How did the initial interactions between Native Americans, French colonizers, and enslaved Africans play out? Why did colonists overthrow their own governor in 1768, and how did the Spanish Empire react? What did Louisianians say about the coming of the Civil War and its aftermath? How did the Plessy v. Ferguson decision, which originated in New Orleans, and the state Constitution of 1898 set the stage for Louisiana's race relations in the twentieth-century? What effects did World War II have on the state? Closer to our own time, what can we learn from firsthand accounts about the "Race from Hell," the dangers of the "chemical corridor," and the debate over how the Civil War is remembered? Read letters, speeches, reports, diaries, and more to gain a deeper understanding of Louisiana, its peoples and cultures, and its history"--

The Favrot family is among the most venerable in Louisiana, with a continuous presence there dating to 1728. From the French colonial period, through four decades of Spanish colonial rule, followed by U.S. statehood, secession, and the Civil War, and ultimately into the modern era, the Favrots have remained influential. The family's story offers a lens through which to view the complex and often-turbulent history of Louisiana. This book traces the story of eight generations of the Favrot family, with a focus on the direct line from Joseph-Claude to Henri Mortimer, Jr. The narrative is based in large parts on material from the Favrot Family Papers, which are housed at Tulane University's Howard-Tilton Memorial Library. From that foundation, the book places the family's personal experiences and observations into the broader context of Louisiana history.

This excellent reference book is the first complete history and development of the vibrant film industry in Louisiana, dubbed Hollywood on the Bayou. Told through dozens of movie posters and stills and many fascionating details, it takes readers from the birth of the cinema in 1896, its early struggles, and on to the current plethora of film companies working in the state. Ed and Susan Poole, 30-year film accessory collectors and researchers in Gretna, LA, take us behind the scenes to explain Louisiana film lore and allure in characters such as Morgus the Magnificent, Evangeline, and the Vampire Lestat. They look at the state's diverse ethnic heritage and natural venues that inspire film makers, not to mention genres and topics only Louisiana can conjure: voodoo, Mardi Gras, cities of the dead, and Creole and Cajun cultures and dialects. Louisiana now ranks third in the country in film production, bested only by California and New York. This is the only complete reference book on how that came to be. It lists thousands of films shot totally or partially in Louisiana in well over a hundred years and gives a history of the more prominent ones. The 8.5 x 11 inch perfect bound book is richly illustrated by dozens of movie posters and stills from the Pooles' personal collection, reminders of the major national and international influence of Louisiana in cinema.