Rewind the Tape: A Look Back at the Most Popular “Louisiana Insider” Episodes
We’re out of the office this week, but geared up for a new episode next week with Louisiana Life columnist Stanley Dry. Until then, we’re taking a look back at some of our most popular episodes of “Louisiana Insider.”
Our most popular podcast included the story of how Sicilians influenced Louisiana.
Episode 13: Les cajuns et l’histoire française de la Louisiane
Warren Perrin might be referred to as a Cajun Activist. The Lafayette Attorney once petitioned Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain asking for a British apology for the deportation of the Acadian people. (The British did not apologize but they acknowledged the incident.) He is one of the foremost authorities on Louisiana’s culture and even operates a related museum in the town of Erath. Perrin joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life magazine, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about Cajun culture, past and present. Oh yes, we will also discover if he thinks that in the long run the Acadians were better off having been relocated in Louisiana.
The following episodes round out the top 5 most listened to “Louisiana Insider” episodes.
If you’d like to listen to all episodes you can visit our archive , head to Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and now on Audible and Amazon Music.
Episode 30: In Search of a Pirate
One of the most powerful men in the history of what is now Louisiana was Jean Lafitte. At his peak, Laffite was a mixture of pirate king, mafia Don and local hero. But, for as famous as he was, there is still much mystery to the Lafitte story, including his place and year of death. North Carolina-based mother and daughter co-authors Ashley Oliphant and Beth Yarbrough joined Laborde to reveal discoveries from their new book “Jean Laffite Revealed: Unraveling One of America’s Longest Running Mysteries.” The ending of this story is far different than anyone ever knew.
Episode 38: A Long Way From Palermo, How The Sicilians Influenced Louisiana
Louisiana, we know, is the creation of many ethnic groups but one that doesn’t always get the credit it is due is the Sicilians. The port of New Orleans was the largest arrival point of migrants from the island off the Italian coast. The group would become very active in agriculture and also influential in food, music, politics and religious celebrations.
Historian Justin Nystrom joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot, to tell tales about the rich Sicilian traditions. Oh yes, we will also reveal our pick for the best cannoli.
Episode 54: The Civil Rights Trail – Stories From The Saga
When the story of the American Civil Rights protests held in Louisiana is told, highlights of several key stops along the way including a church in Shreveport, a march to Bogalusa and Dooky Chase restaurant in New Orleans. Organizer Glenda McKinley and former TV news anchor Norman Robinson joined Laborde to tell stories about the height of the Civil Rights struggle. The story is now made more visual by the state’s new Civil Rights trail, which provides informational trail markers and web-based information about the saga.
Episode 65: Adventures in No Man’s Land
There was once a part of present day Louisiana that neither France nor Spain could decide on who was the possessor, so it was declared a neutral ground known as “No Man’s Land.” Filmmakers Bill Rodman and Flo Ulmer-Rodman, along with historian Adley Cormier, join Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, and podcast producer Kelly Massicot to discuss their documentary about a lawless and adventurous section of 19th Century western Louisiana.
Oh yes, we’ll also hear about a tree in Lake Charles where cowboys and pirates once met to trade items and maybe sample a little barbecue.
Episode 75: A Saga of Mutinous Women – How Early New Orleans Dealt With a Gender Shortage
In the 1700s, when New Orleans was a fledgling city, the French overseers faced many problems including a severe shortage of women. Arrangements were made to send women from France who were perceived as being problematic to Louisiana for a new life. Joan DeJean, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and a native of Louisiana, has conducted exhaustive research on who those women were brought to Louisiana, why were they sent, and what they accomplished in their new land. Some of the stories are heartbreaking others are inspirational.
DeJean joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot to talk about her latest book, “Mutinous Women: How French Convicts Became Founding Mothers of the Gulf Coast.”
If you’d like to listen to all episodes you can visit our archive , head to Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Spotify.
