Collection: Symposium 2021

For a quarter of a century, The Historic New Orleans Collection has convened an annual symposium to speak to themes of historical interest. This year, we pause to listen.

The 25th Williams Research Center Symposium celebrates the voices of Black activists from the era of Reconstruction, as featured in three new THNOC publications. The protagonists of these books—journalists, poets, politicians, educators, and ardent champions of civil rights—have gone too long unheralded. Through their words, recovered from the archives, we will explore the origins and legacies of Black activism in New Orleans. The conversation unfolds in English and in French, in classrooms and newsrooms, and in the streets.

We invite you to add your voice to the dialogue by registering for the symposium, reading the books, exploring videos and other interactive content on this page, and engaging with our authors in virtual Q&A sessions.