Louis Armstrong (1900-1971) Famous trumpeter, band leader, and entertainer.Considered by many to bethe father of American Kazz music. Born New Orleans, Louisiana
John James Audubon (1785-1851) Naturalist and artist, some of whose paintings for "Birds of America" were done in Louisiana.
Roark Bradford (1896-1948) Journalist and short-story writer, known for his depiction of the African-American experience.
George Washington Cable (1844-1925) Novelist and historian, noted for his Creole studies. Born New Orleans, Louisiana.
Truman Capote (1924-1984) Writer, noted for his evocative prose style. Born New Orleans, Louisiana.
Harry Connick, Jr., popular singer. Born New Orleans, Louisiana.
Charles Etienne A. Gayarre (1805-1895) Politician and historian whose works include the four-volume History of Louisiana
Lillian Hellman (1907-1984) Playwright whose works include The Little Foxes (1939); she was one of many who was blacklisted during the McCarthy/Red Scare era. Born New Orleans, Louisiana.
Mahalia Jackson, famous name in the world of gospel singing. Born New Orleans, Louisiana.
Jean Lafitte (1780-1826) Privateer who helped the Americans in the Battle of New Orleans in 1815.
Marie Laveau, queen of voodoo in New Orleans in the early 1900's.
Huey Pierce Long (1893-1935) Dynamic governor and U.S. senator who built a super-powerful state political machine in Louisiana.
"Jelly Roll Morton"(b. Ferdinand LeMenthe) Popular jazz musician. Born New Orleans, Louisiana.
Fascinating Fact
The Catahoula Leopard Dog, the only breed of dog native to Louisiana, is a cross between domestic dogs raised by the Native Americans near Catahoula Lake and the Spanish "war dogs" which were introduced to America in the 1500's. The Catahoula Leopard Dog has webbed feet.
Although Louisiana has had 10 flags, the official flag which it keeps today was adopted in 1912. The flag is turquoise in color and features the state motto and a pelican tearing at her breast to feed her young-- a symbol of self sacrifice in heraldry. Louisiana has used the pelican symbol since long before it officially became a state.
State and Metropolitan Area Data Book 1991 (Excerpts)
U.S. Department of Commerce
Economics and Statistics Administration
Bureau of the Census
Vital Statistics of Louisiana
Largest City: 1990 New Orleans (Pop. 496,938)
Highest Point: Driskill Mountain (535 feet)
Lowest Point: New Orleans (-8 feet)
Total Population: 1990 4,295,000 V.A.P. 3,100,000
Population Per Square Mile: 1990 98.6
Marriages: 1988 prel. 33,900
Divorces: 1988 prel. NA
(Includes annulments)
Live Births: 1988 Provisional 72,000
Includes births of non-residents
Infant Mortality Rates: 1987 10.5
Deaths of perSTATEHOOD: Louisiana was admitted to the Union as the 18th state on April 30, 1812.
ORIGIN OF NAME: French explorer Robert de La Salle named Louisiana after Louis XIV, King of France.
NICKNAME: The Pelican State.
CAPITAL: Baton Rouge.
OFFICIAL SEAL: The seal features a pelican with its chicks in the nest.
MOTTO:"Union, Justice, and Confidence."
SONGS:"Give Me Louisiana," words and music by Doralice Fontane, arranged by Dr. John Croom; "You Are My Sunshine," words and music by Jimmie Davis and Charles Mitchell.
COLORS:Gold, White, and Blue
FLOWER:Magnolia Blossom
TREE:Bald Cypress
FOSSIL:Petrified Palmwood
GEMSTONE:Agate
INSECT:Honeybee
BIRD: Brown Pelican - This bird is silent.
Overview
Louisiana is located in the South central United States on the Gulf of Mexico, and primarily consists of level coastal plains which are covered with marshes or crossed by rivers and streams. The state's topography is dominated by water as there are over 7,000 miles of it which are navigable. The state's major geographic feature, the delta of the Mississippi River, causes over forty percent of its area to be marshes or bayous. The highest point in the state is less than 600 feet above sea level, while the average elevation of its largest city, New Orleans, is five feet below sea level. Although the state is known throughout the United States and the World for the tourism industry which thrives off of New Orleans' unique Cajun culture and Jazz Music scene, its lesser known industries provide for much of the state's economy. Most notable among these are coastal fishing, mineral resources development (including oil), and agriculture. Louisiana has the most interesting, if not bizarre, population of America's states; among the diverse peoples who inhabit the region are those of French Creole, Spanish, Cajun, African, and Native American decent who all maintain a striking amount of their individual cultural heritage.
History
Over 2,500 years ago, the Caddo Indians peacefully inhabited the swampy area known today as Louisiana. Although the Spanish knew of the Louisiana Territory before 1520, exploration and colonization did not begin until 1682, when the Sieur de La Salle recognized the enormous trading value of the Mississippi Valley and claimed the territory, which he called "Louisiane," for his King, Louis XIV of France.
The cultural diversity of modern Louisiana is the byproduct of years of various nations attempting to establish control over the region. Between 1755 and the end of the eighteenth century the British government forced almost 5,000 French Canadians from Nova Scotia, and many of them resettled in the French territory which is now Louisiana, these people's descendants are the Cajuns. At the end of the Seven Years' War however, France relinquished to all of the province of Louisiana east of the Mississippi, except for the city of New Orleans and the Isle of Orleans to England, and an English culture was established. In 1762, the rest of the territory, including the city, was ceded to Spain by secret treaty as compensation for the losses it had suffered by supporting France during the war. Spaniards quickly settled in the region, and their descendants are known today as Creoles. Thirty percent of western Louisiana's population consisted of African Americans at this time. Some of them spoke French, some spoke Spanish, and some spoke native African tongues. To this day many of the residents of Louisiana, both white and African American, speak in extremely strange dialects which are reminiscent of all of the various languages which were spoken there during the colonial period.
Despite setbacks which were caused by the French settlers rebelling against the new government, Louisiana grew and prospered under Spanish rule. During the American Revolution, the Spanish aided the Americans in gaining their independence from Great Britain. In 1779, in the only battle of the Revolution which was fought outside of the original 13 colonies, Louisiana Governor Bernardo de Galvez captured Baton Rouge from the British and welcomed American commerce in the territory.
In 1800, the Spanish ceded Louisiana back to the French. Although the colony was prosperous, French Emperor Napoleon was not particularly interested in the New World, and decided to sell Louisiana to the United States in order to help finance his impending war with Britain. When President Thomas Jefferson and Secretary of State James Monroe offered $10 million for the Isle of Orleans, Napoleon's minister of the public treasury, Francois Barbe-Marbois surprised them by offering the entire Louisiana Territory. The famous Louisiana Purchase of 1803 cost the United States a mere $15 million (an average of 4 cents an acre). Thus in striking contrast to the history of the New World up until that point, the United States doubled the size of its territory by peaceable means and without the shedding of a single drop of blood.
The Louisiana Purchase presented new problems for the area because the people of Louisiana, were unaccustomed to democracy and were suddenly brought into a whole new form of government. The first governor of Louisiana, William C.C. Claiborne, not only had to handle the native people with care, but had to contend with the Creoles who were not at all fond of Americans. Through diplomatic strategies however, Claiborne managed to cope with the various problems, and on March 2, 1805, Louisiana became a formal territory.
Louisiana became the 18th state to join the Union in 1812, but conflict between American settlers and the long standing French and Spanish population continued to rage until Creole and Cajun soldiers fought side by side with Americans during General Andrew Jackson's stunning victory over the mutually despised British at the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. After the American victory in the war, the capital of Louisiana was moved from New Orleans to Baton Rouge in an attempt to limit political corruption.
Following the War of 1812, many settlers came to Louisiana from other southern states and many immigrants, especially Germans and Irish, settled in New Orleans. By 1850 approximately one-fourth of Louisiana's population was foreign born. During this period Louisiana experienced a tremendous growth in cotton, sugar, and corn production. The dawn of steamboats on the Mississippi River, greatly increased New Orleans' value as a port, and it soon rose to be the nation's fourth largest city, and one of the country's largest ports (second only to New York). As commerce and industry grew, so did the institution of slavery. Thousands of African slaves were being smuggled into Louisiana, and by 1860 more than 20,000 Louisianians owned slaves.
As industry boomed in Louisiana, New Orleans became increasingly metropolitan, and in 1838 the first formal Mardi Gras parade proceeded down the city's streets. A custom imported from France, the Mardi Gras festival lasted for several weeks. African Americans joined in the celebration, dancing the "calinda," the "carabine," and the "bamboula," while the city thronged with masked balls, parades, and parties.
In January of 1861, Louisiana seceded from the Union. For almost two months after seccession Louisiana existed as an independent nation with Governor Moore acting as its President. Eventually the state did join the Confederacy, and more than 60,000 Louisiana troops fought in the Civil War. Louisianians were optimistic about the war, and many felt that by controlling the port of New Orleans, they could force the United States to allow their independence. Within a year of the conflict's beginning however, New Orleans fell to the Naval forces of Union Admiral David Farrragaut, and was occupied by General Benjamin Butler's Northern Army. Reconstruction was a particularly trying era for Louisiana. Although it was re-admitted to the Union in 1868, General Butler's Army continued to occupy the state, and military rule persisted. By the late 1870's when the troops withdrew from the state, Louisiana had dropped from being one of the richest states in the nation to one of the poorest. River commerce declined because of the coming of the railroads, and the state debt rocketed while services plummeted. The plantation system fell completely apart, but the former slaves had no land, no money, and no education, and many of them returned to work for their old masters for low wages or a small share of the crops.
The bitterness which many Louisianians felt toward America about the harsh decades of the late nineteenth century was finally drowned in a renewed patriotism with the dawn of World War I. Because many of its residents were of direct French Creole descent, Louisiana supported France enthusiastically, and many of the states native sons served in the allied victory. After the war, Louisiana began its upward climb toward modernization. The discovery of oil and gas in the state during the early 1900's brought renewed industrialization to the state, although it suffered setback in 1927 when Mississippi River flooding destroyed much of the stateΓÇÖs new industrial infrastructure. In that same year Huey P. Long, the son of a poor farmer, became the state's governor. Although Long established dictatorial power for himself, and was hated by many Louisianians, he used the power of his incredible political machine to rejuvenate the state by sponsoring new roads and bridges, free textbooks, and better schools. The Louisiana State Capitol Building was built as a monument to Long's determination in the midst of the Great Depression. His many public works required a lot of money, however, and angry taxpayers joined against him. In 1935 in Baton Rouge, the controversial governor was assassinated. Long's brother Earl later became the governor and his son, Russell, represented the state in the United States Senate from 1948 until 1986.
During the second World War, Louisianians once again fought for their ancestral home. Since that time oil drilling has driven the state's economy, and today Louisiana is second only to Texas in American petroleum and mineral production and is the nationΓÇÖs number one producer of sweet potatoes, crawfish, shrimp, and oysters.
Visiting the State
Atchafalaya Delta Wildlife Area, at the mouth of the Atchafalaya River features Louisiana bayous and a wide assortment of wildlife creatures.
Avery Island features a bird refuge and lovely botanical gardens.
Audobon Memorial State Park, near St. Francisville, preserves the plantation where John James Audubon painted many of the birds for his "Birds of America."
Baton Rouge, the state capital located in southeast central Louisiana on the Mississippi River, features a 34-story state capitol built by Huey Long, the Louisiana Historical Society, the Riverside Museum, Magnolia Mound Plantation, and Louisiana State University a 34-story state capitol built by Huey Long.
In total, Louisiana has over 2,000 islands, and ranks second in the nation for total island acreage.
Lafayette features historical Acadian villages and museums of traditional Cajun life.
Longfellow-Evangeline State Park, in St. Martinsville, is home of the Evangeline Oak, written about by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his famous poem, "Evangeline."
Natchitoches, the state's oldest community, features many old plantation homes.
New Orleans, "the home of jazz": The entire district is a National Historic Landmark. Every February New Orleans celebrates Mardi Gras, and every April/May is their famous Jazz Festival. New Orleans is a colorful city full of music, artists, and tasty Cajun cuisine. Some of the many places to visit include the Vieux Carre Historic District, the French Quarter, Bourbon Street, St. Louis Cathedral, Preservation Hall, Jackson Square, the Louisiana Superdome, Tulane University, and the many ante-bellum houses.
Poverty Point has remains one of the largest complexes of ceremonial Indian mounds in North America.
St. John's Cathedral, in Lafayette.
Famous People
Louis Armstrong (1900-1971) Famous trumpeter, band leader, and entertainer who helped to make jazz America's only original music form.
John James Audubon (1785-1851) Naturalist and artist, some of whose paintings for "Birds of America" were done in Louisiana.
Roark Bradford (1896-1948) Journalist and short-story writer, known for his depiction of the African-American experience.
George Washington Cable (1844-1925) Novelist and historian, noted for his Creole studies.
Truman Capote (1924-1984) Writer, noted for his evocative prose style.
Harry Connick, Jr., popular singer.
Charles Etienne A. Gayarre (1805-1895) Politician and historian whose works include the four-volume History of Louisiana
Lillian Hellman (1907-1984) Playwright whose works include The Little Foxes (1939); she was one of many who was blacklisted during the McCarthy/Red Scare era.
Mahalia Jackson, famous name in the world of gospel singing.
Jean Lafitte (1780-1826) Privateer who helped the Americans in the Battle of New Orleans in 1815.
Marie Laveau, queen of voodoo in New Orleans in the early 1900's.
Huey Pierce Long (1893-1935) Dynamic governor and U.S. senator who built a powerful state political machine.
"Jelly Roll Morton" (b. Ferdinand LeMenthe) Popular jazz musician.
Fascinating Fact
The Catahoula Leopard Dog, the only breed of dog native to Louisiana, is a cross between domestic dogs raised by the Native Americans near Catahoula Lake and the Spanish "war dogs" which were introduced to America in the 1500's. The Catahoula Leopard Dog has webbed feet.
Although Louisiana has had 10 flags, the official flag which it keeps today was adopted in 1912. The flag is turquoise in color and features the state motto and a pelican tearing at her breast to feed her young-- a symbol of self sacrifice in heraldry. Louisiana has used the pelican symbol since long before it officially became a state.
