Cross-pollinated ancestry, live jazz, delicious food, ornate mansions, the French Quarter, Congo Square, Mardi Gras, and even Hurricane “Katrina” are just a few of the mental imprints that rise to the surface when thinking about the beauty, cultural legacy, and history of New Orleans. With its many hidden histories and ever-present diverse population that are a constant reminder of the miscegenation of the past, New Orleans has always been a bit of an enigma. Seemingly defiant and aloof, New Orleans’ history seems to have always defied categorization. Yet, somehow, it remained defined by the intricate systems of racial caste, class, and privilege associated with ancestry. A place and port that garnered much prestige and reputation, its landscape epitomizes both the fruitfulness of having rich soil and the residue that comes along with colonizers seeking to capitalize off the land and in many instances, the people.
From 18th and 19th century “free women of color” businesswomen like Eulalie de Mandeville to notorious high-profile madams the likes of Lulu White, to books on the glorious interior and exterior designs of New Orleans homes, to an extensive look at Hurricane Katrina, the books on this list provide an opportunity to explore a spectrum of literature, both fiction and non-fiction, that diversely depicts New Orleans. As we indulge in the savory foods, pleasing sounds, and ornate architecture of this beautiful city during the Essence Festival of Culture, it’s equally just as important to have at least some understanding of the people and land in which this celebration takes place.
From the riveting historical fiction novel Thread Collectors to the award-winning non-fiction book Katrina: A History, 1915-2015, these 10 books showcase the wondrous and unique history of the city of New Orleans.
Louisiana Creoles: Cultural Recovery and Mixed Race Native American Identity by Andrew J. Jolivette
Louisiana Creoles takes a deep dive into archiving and preserving the unique cultural and ethnic heritage of Louisiana as it sheds light on the politics of ethnic categorization. This book also highlights the voice of preservationists, Creole organizations, and grassroots organizers, and is a great read for those interested in sociology and Louisiana’s unique racial history.
The Thread Collectors by Shaunna J. Edwards and Alyson Richman
History and escape routes can be woven into the most unsuspecting places. It’s 1863 in a small Creole cottage in New Orleans and Stella, a young Black woman uses her embroidery skills to sketch escape routes into fabric to help enslaved men flee to the Union Army. In New York, a Jewish woman, Lily, stitches a quilt for her husband stationed in the Union Army in Louisiana. But, when the paths of both of these women converge, readers experience that the power of friendship, the desire to preserve love, and freedom have the power to help others transcend obstacles. Based loosely on real-life events in the lives of the authors’ families, The Thread Collectors is an excellent read for lovers of historical fiction, history buffs, and those who appreciate depictions of interracial friendships.
Creole: The History and Legacy of Louisiana’s Free People of Color by Sybil Kein
For centuries, the true definition of what it means to be “Creole” or “People of Color” has long been disputed. While a finite answer is still quite ambiguous, Creole: The History and Legacy of Louisiana’s Free People of Color aims to delineate some of the misconceptions about the Creole people of European, African, or Caribbean-mixed descent, by examining their history from the early 1600s. With 15 essays written by various writers and edited by Sybil Kein, the lives of Creole people are examined through the lens of their folklore, art, music, livelihoods, literature, language, and more.
Carnival in Louisiana: Celebrating Mardi Gras from The French Quarter to the Red River by Brian J. Costello
Carnival in Louisiana provides an expansive look inside the many cultures and traditions associated with Mardi Gras across Louisiana. This book explores the cultural roots of Mardi Gras traditions and serves as a guide to fans of the tradition who want to learn about various types of Mardi Gras celebrations. This book “explores the diverse cultural roots of state-wide celebrations, Costello includes festivities in Lafayette, Baton Rouge, New Roads, and Shreveport. From venerable floats to satirical parades, exclusive events to spontaneous street parties.”
Very New Orleans: A Celebration of History, Culture, and Cajun Country Charm by Diana Hollingsworth Gessler
In Very New Orleans, artist Dianna Gessler uses watercolor and sketches to bring the vibrant city of New Orleans to life. Highlighting the city’s unique charm, this unique book features the whimsy, magical flair, culture, and history of New Orleans with a very artsy flair. Art book lovers, artists, and lovers of culture will truly appreciate the ornate depictions of places like the Garden District, Bourbon Street, The French Quarter, Jackson Square, The River Road Plantations, Audubon’s Aquarium of the Americas, and beyond.
Cooking For The Culture: Recipes and Stories From the New Orleans Street to the Table by Toya Boudy
Food is personal and historical. And, many of the recipes shared in Cooking For The Culture, stem from Boudy’s hometown of New Orleans and the Black traditions that shaped her. The cookbook provides the opportunity to create many cultural meals from recipes derived from personal experiences. “From struggling in school to having a baby at sixteen, from her growing confidence in the kitchen to her appearances on Food Network. The cookbook opens with Sweet Cream Farina, prepared at the crack of dawn for girls in freshly ironed clothes—being neat and pressed was important.” In this cookbook, Boudy shows that cooking and culture go hand-in-hand.
Bohemian Soul: The Vanishing Interiors of New Orleans by Valerie Hart
If you love interior design and eccentric beautiful spaces, you will adore the pleasing photography, personalities, and alluring dwellings captured in Bohemian Soul. Alongside Hart’s writing, photographer Sara Essex Bradley captures the spirit and decorative style of “Old Bohemian New Orleans”. The Home & furnishings book features 17 gorgeous residences and the colorful people who inhabit them.
Spectacular Wickedness: Sex, Race, and Memory In Storyville, New Orleans by Emily Epstein Landau
Spectacular Wickedness explores the legacy of the infamous prostitution district in New Orleans known as Storyville. While some historians say that it’s all a myth, there’s also evidence and proof that many women of color, like Lulu White rose to power as a result of being high-profile madams and proprietors of whorehouses. In Spectacular Wickedness, the racial and sexual politics in the red-light district of Storyville are explored.
Katrina: A History, 1915-2015 by Andy Horowitz
Not only does the book Katrina: A History examine the flawed levees of New Orleans, but it also interrogates the systemic zoning and city development practices of politicians, power players, engineers, and oil executives who arguably planned the demise of the city years in advance of Hurricane Katrina. According to Horowitz’s website, “The flood line tells one important story about Katrina, but it is not the only story that matters. Andy Horowitz investigates the response to the flood, when policymakers reapportioned the challenges the water posed, making it easier for white New Orleanians to return home than it was for African Americans. And he explores how the profits and liabilities created by Louisiana’s oil industry have been distributed unevenly among the state’s citizens for a century, prompting both dreams of abundance―and a catastrophic land loss crisis that continues today.”
Dancing in the Streets: Social Aide and Pleasure Clubs of New Orleans by Judy Cooper, Rachel Carrico, Freddi Williams Evans
In Dancing in the Streets, essays and photographs explore the growth of parades from tier roots “in post-Civil War mutual aid societies, their ties to Black performance practices in Congo Square; the artistry and style of the clubs’ suits and regalia; and the brass bands and dance forms that bring the parades to life.” Published by the Historic New Orleans Collection, Dancing in the Streets provides a glorious depiction of archival imagery and the legacy of second-line communities.
