city park

70% of those who use public parks use them for passive purposes. But municipalities too often look at parks as vacant unused land that needs to be developed and programmed. Our own master plan warns against this kind of thinking:

“Cities that give up park land end up regretting it. A robust network of green space and parks is a critical asset for quality of life and urban success. It helps retain existing residents and attracts new ones. When cities looking for “free land” establish other public facilities on park land, they are chipping away at the community’s overall inventory of park land. Often, it is more costly or otherwise more difficult to acquire new park land. For this reason, it is important to make sure that, at a minimum, the city maintain a commitment to keeping the same overall amount of park land that it has at present.” Master Plan, Vol 2, Chap 7. p 15.

But, despite this language, our parks continue to be threatened by development and overprogramming. That’s why we need to amend the Master Plan to put language in Chapter 14 (the one that everyone agrees has the force of law) to stop commercialization and development in our parks. We need parks for residents, not parking lots and “attractions” for tourists.”

article below by Charles A. Birnbaum President & CEO, The Cultural Landscape Foundation

Has the time come to refine how we measure the value of historic parks like Audubon and City Parks in New Orleans?

What about the irreplaceable historic and cultural values that are embedded in these places?

The Trust for Public Land’s annual ParkScore® Index ranks land owned by regional, state, and federal agencies within the 100 most populous U.S. cities—including school playgrounds formally open to the public and greenways that function as parks. The ranking criteria includes acreage (park acreage as a percent of city area), facilities and investment (spending per resident), and access (the number of residents within a ten-minute walk). However, the measure of acreage doesn’t take into account parkland and open space lost to new construction within a park. Consequently, the measure of overall acreage may not be affected by new construction within a park, but the amount of actual open space is.

Audubon Park, New Orleans, LA, showing loss of public open space.

In New Orleans, open space in Audubon Park today only accounts for about one third of the park; it’s a sliver around the park’s periphery, along with some other limited interstitial space. City Park could soon lose eight acres to the Children’s Museum expansion. That’s a quantitative and qualitative difference that needs to be measured, particularly as it affects many residents’ quality of life.

With the renaissance of cities, and more and more users taking advantage of our municipal parks, when will the public demand that open space be left open? Will we draw a line in the grass that says municipalities can no longer repurpose meadows for museums and trade pastoral parkland for parking? Will we declare that parks held in public trust—especially masterworks designed by great landscape architects—are not free for the taking?

The majority of our park users—more than 70%—use public parks for passive enjoyment. These vulnerable spaces are living, connective tissue composed of soil, rock, trees and lawn; but more than that, they tell our stories as a community and a nation.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-a-birnbaum/the-obama-library-is-goin_b_11248112.html

Thursdays at Twilight

June 2, 2016 by Charlie London

THURSDAYS AT TWILIGHT

Thursdays at Twilight Garden Concert Series begins at 6 p.m. at the Pavilion of the Two Sisters in the Botanical Gardens at City Park located on Victory Drive in New Orleans.

http://neworleanscitypark.com/calendar

Thursdays at Twilight Concert Series

Schedule of Concerts at the New Orleans Botanical Garden in New Orleans City Park

What: Join music lovers in City Park to hear some of New Orleans’ favorite performers during the “Thursdays at Twilight” concert series. Bring your friends to enjoy this very popular series with an array of musicians and mint juleps indoors at the Pavilion of the Two Sisters. This series is sponsored by the Louis and Virginia Clemente Foundation with support from WWNO 89.9 FM.

Admission is $10 per person. Mint juleps, wine, beer, soft drinks, water, and food are available for purchase. No outside food, drink, or pets are allowed.

Advance tickets are available online at NewOrleansCityPark.com. Advance tickets may also be purchased over the phone at 504-483-9488 or at the Botanical Garden Gift Shop. Thursdays at Twilight Series Season Passes are also available for purchase.

When: Thursday Evenings

5 pm – Gates Open, 6 pm – Performance Begins

Where: Pavilion of the Two Sisters, New Orleans Botanical Garden, City Park

Contact: New Orleans Botanical Garden: phone: 504-483-9488 or email: [email protected]

June through August 2016 schedule:

June 2 – John Boutté

Voted Best Male Vocalist of the year at both the Best of the Beat and the Big Easy Awards. His song “Treme” is the theme song of the popular HBO series. Those who were lucky to attend his sold out concert last year were part of a magical night. Don’t miss this year’s show. For more information about the band, visit johnboutte.com.

June 9 – Bon Operatit

Consists of New Orleans opera singers Lauren Mouney Gisclair, Jesse Nolan, and Mary Penick Akin. From La Boheme to Phantom of the Opera, they perform a perfect pairing of opera and musical theatre hits that are sure to invigorate the senses. For more information about the band, visit bonoperatit.com.

June 16 – New Orleans Mystics

Buy your tickets early so you will not miss this show featuring the music of Motown. Songs from the Temptations, O’Jays, Marvin Gaye and Otis Redding will all be part of this soulful tribute to some of the greatest music from the 1970’s.

June 23 – Symphony Chorus of New Orleans

The Symphony Chorus will perform Shubert and Vivaldi in the first half of the concert, and then music about New Orleans and Louisiana in the second half. Should be a great mix of music. For more information about the band, visit symphonychorus.org.

June 30 – Rocky’s Hot Fox Trot Orchestra

Celebrate the traditions of our New Orleans swing era with an energetic, upbeat patriotic concert. The program will include hits from the era of the WWII “greatest generation”, popular modern tunes, and patriotic tributes. This swing ensemble features a full horn section with vocals. For more information about the band, visit rockyshfto.blogspot.com.

July 7 – Chucky C and Clearly Blue

Chucky C’s (Charles Elam, III) charisma has earned him the title, “The King of Feel Good.” This versatile entertainer blends all of his musical influences from jazz to pop, Dixieland to blues and can change gears to satisfy diverse audiences making him a real crowd pleaser.

July 14 – Boogiemen Swing Band

Will be performing the music of Frank Sinatra, Michael Buble’, Harry Connick Jr. and more…..” Don’t miss this special night of music!! For more information about the band, visit boogiemen-nola.com.

July 21 – Ronnie Kole

Jazz pianist Ronnie Kole’s smooth sound and elegant demeanor have earned him respect from musicians across the globe. Kole sharpened his skills in Al Hirt’s club and Kole’s Corner on Bourbon Street. He was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2012 and has recorded 32 CD/LP’s. This New Orleans-based pianist keeps busy performing concerts across the United States, Europe and Asia. For more information about the band, visit ronniekole.com.

July 28 – Ladies of Soul

You know Naydja CoJoe, Rechelle Cook, and Sharon Martin as, “The Ladies of Soul,” having performed at the Garden with The Mystics. They will not only sing a bit of Motown, but also Jazz, R & B, and familiar New Orleans tunes.

August 4 – Bruce Daigrepont

Music came to Bruce at an early age, and in the most traditional manner–handed down from father to son. When he was growing up, no family gathering was complete without a little playing and singing. His father picked the guitar, “Carter Family-style,” while his Uncle Alton lent a remarkable voice to the traditional Cajun songs and old-time country ballads. Bruce Daigrepont almost single-handedly has popularized Cajun music and Cajun dancing in cosmopolitan New Orleans. For more information about the band, visit brucedaigrepont.com

August 11 – Julio and Cesar

Originally from Guatemala, Julio and Cesar Herrera have been in New Orleans for over 30 years. They describe their music as constantly evolving, attributing this, in part, to their exposure from an early age to many cultures. For more information about the band, visit julioandcesar.com.

August 18 – Pfister Sisters

Holley Bendtsen, Yvette Voelker, Debbie Davis and Amasa Miller comprise one of the few groups that represent the New Orleans swing era, with their recreation of the Boswell Sisters arrangements, and the only act featuring vocal jazz harmony. They bring joy to your soul, harmony to your ears, and the best and biggest boogie-woogie to your feet. For more information about the band, visit pfistersisters.com.

August 25 – Mark Brooks and Friends

Mark Brooks is one of New Orleans’ most talented, versatile, and sought after bassist. Mark has played and toured with an array of artists including Dr. John, The Neville Brothers, Henry Butler, Charles and Aaron Neville’s Ensembles, Lou Rawls, Fats Domino, Ellis Hall Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Harry Connick, Sr. Mark is known for his diversity with the different styles of music ranging from Rhythm & Blues, Contemporary Jazz, Traditional Jazz, Blues, and Gospel. For more information about the band, visit markabrooks.net.

CITY PUTT IN CITY PARK FOR FAMILY FUN

May 27, 2016 by Charlie London

CITY PUTT IN CITY PARK FOR FAMILY FUN

City Park is proud to announce the parking lot next to the First NBC sponsored City Putt is complete and ready for patrons’ cars!

The former site of tennis courts, the parking lot will hold 64 cars. New plaza areas have also been built between the entrance to City Putt and the Goldring/Woldenberg Great Lawn.

Many thanks to the visitors who have patiently allowed construction to continue.
It is wonderful to have the parking lot, plazas, and sidewalks completed.

During Father’s Day weekend, June 17th through 19th, tickets for City Putt will be BOGO (buy one, get one free).

Each day of the promotion, players who get a hole-in-one at either of the courses, will have their name placed in a hopper to win a $100 cash gift card (10 winners) or tickets to City Park Attractions (ten winners).

City Putt will also offer free popcorn for our guests playing mini golf.

City Putt is a 36-hole mini golf complex with two courses: the Louisiana Course highlights cultural themes and cities from around the state; the New Orleans Course showcases streets and iconic themes from around the city, with signs detailing the city’s historic sites at each hole. City Putt is 100 percent ADA accessible.

New Orleans City Park wants to send a special shout-out of thanks to First NBC for being City Putt’s title sponsor. The City Park family is so grateful to have First NBC on board!

Looking for a unique location for a birthday party or special event?

City Putt is the only mini golf complex in New Orleans! City Putt’s Clubhouse has
two party rooms available to rent and birthday/event packages available. For
more information or to book a room for a birthday party, call (504) 483-9458.

WHEN: June 17th and 18th from 10 am to midnight (last rental at 11pm)
June 19th from 10 am to 10pm (last rental at 9pm)

WHERE: City Putt: 8 Victory Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70119

EVENT PRICE: Buy one round; get one round free:
1 Course Play Ages 13+ $8
1 Course Play Children (4-12) $6
2nd round in same visit $4
Children (0-3) Free

REGULAR HOURS: Sunday, Tuesday – Thursday: 10am to 10pm (last rental at 9pm)
Monday: only open for corporate/private events
Friday & Saturday: 10am to midnight (last rental at 11pm)

ABOUT CITY PARK:
City Park: is distinguished by its large menu of sports and recreational
activities, attractions for children, and its natural beauty. City Park has
a special place in the hearts of generations of New Orleanians and is a must
visit for visitors to the city. As a popular place to picnic, play a
favorite sport, wander through its gardens or take a boat ride- the Park
receives millions of visitors each year. It is located in the heart of the
city and is the largest recreation area for the entire metropolitan area.
Attractions include: City Putt, New Orleans Botanical Garden, Storyland
fairytale playground, the Carousel Gardens Amusement Park, and numerous
athletic venues. The 1,300 acres of parkland provide enjoyment for young
children playing on our playgrounds and walkers, joggers, and bicyclists
winding through the Park’s streets and trails.
###

Dr. Robert Datzman Helped Maintain the City’s Beauty

January 30, 2016 by Charlie London

Dr. Datzman photo by Charlie London — Dr. Datzman
photo by Charlie London

Dr. Robert Datzman served in the U.S. Army during World War II as a Flight Surgeon. He earned his Medical Degree in Radiology from Indiana University and Medical School. He co-founded Ft. Wayne Radiology and started the first hospice team at Parkview Hospital in Ft. Wayne, IN.

His love affair with New Orleans prompted him to move here in 1979. He was a Radiologist with BBNH Radiology Group at Jo Ellen Smith Hospital for over 10 years. After his retirement, he pursued his interests in Archaeology, Genealogy, and the Civil War. He so loved the local cuisine that he visited and rated over 700 restaurants in the New Orleans area.

To help maintain the city’s beauty, he dedicated himself to a daily routine of picking up litter in the City Park/Esplanade area. This dedication made him a local celebrity. He was a member of New Orleans Radiology, the Civil War Round Table, and the World War II Museum. Published in The Times-Picayune on 5/11/2008.

Dr. Robert Datzman picked up trash all throughout City Park and Faubourg St. John. Robert Thompson gave him free coffee for life when Robert owned Fair Grinds. Robert sent in the photo below and added the following comment, “The photo I sent you shows his “logs” on the table, records of everything he picked up over those years! He claimed to have found one of every kind of paper currency except the largest one. All went into the poor box at Holy Rosary. A real special guy in my estimation.”

CLICK ON THE PHOTOS FOR A LARGER VIEW

Friends of City Park Get Grant

July 29, 2015 by Charlie London

Friends of City Park Awarded Grant to Increase Park Recycling

Friends of City Park announced today that the Park has been selected as a recipient of a Healthy Communities Grant by Keep Louisiana Beautiful, the State’s premier anti-litter and community improvement organization.

This year’s grant, in the amount of $5,750, will facilitate the expansion of City Park’s composting program. This expansion is a unique educational opportunity for residents of all ages and will support the beautification of park spaces through a ready supply of landscaping material.

Grant funds will be used to purchase an industrial screener to sift through the non-compostable material that may have made it into our compost such as rocks. The compost will be stored in custom-built bins located within the Botanical Garden for convenient use and access. The material will then be utilized by volunteers to maintain the 12 acres of gardens and 2,000 varieties of plants within the Botanical Garden.

Composting lessons for the general public will be incorporated into educational sessions within the Botanical Garden, such as the Growing Gardeners program which introduces children to the fun of gardening while learning about plants, food, and ecosystems. In addition, we will participate in the Great American Cleanup in the spring of 2016 and highlight our composting efforts at our annual Earth Day celebration. Information will be posted on the City Park Green webpage at http://neworleanscitypark.com/info/city-park-green and distributed through social media.

The mission of Friends of City Park is to maintain and increase the value and importance of City Park as a place of natural beauty, culture, recreation, and education for the public. All monies raised by Friends of City Park (FOCP) will be used for the capital needs of City Park at the discretion of the FOCP Executive Board. FOCP is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization pursuant to section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is a registered charity with the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office.

About City Park

City Park is distinguished by its large menu of sports and recreational activities, attractions for children, and its natural beauty. City Park has a special place in the hearts of generations of New Orleanians and is a must visit for visitors to the city. As a popular place to picnic, play a favorite sport, wander through its gardens or take a boat ride- the park receives millions of visitors each year. It is located in the heart of the city and is the largest recreation area for the entire metropolitan area. Attractions include: City Putt, New Orleans Botanical Garden, Storyland fairytale playground, the Carousel Gardens Amusement Park, and numerous athletic venues. The 1,300 acres of parkland provide enjoyment for young children playing on our playgrounds and walkers, joggers, and bicyclists winding through the park’s streets and trails.

About Keep Louisiana Beautiful

Keep Louisiana Beautiful (KLB) is a volunteer-based service organization dedicated to a litter free Louisiana. Each year, KLB awards competitive Healthy Communities Grants to organizations across the State as part of its efforts to “promote personal, corporate, and community responsibility for a clean and beautiful Louisiana.” Last year over 23,000 people volunteered more than 107,000 hours with KLB’s affiliates. These volunteers picked up 670,000 lbs. of roadway and waterway litter in an effort to keep our state beautiful.

###

Thursday Evening Concerts in City Park

June 28, 2015 by Charlie London

Check out the Thursday concerts in City Park below.
***

Pavilion of the Two Sisters • New Orleans Botanical Garden • City Park

Gates open at 5pm – Music begins at 6pm

• $10 admission

***
2015 THURSDAYS AT TWILIGHT CONCERT SERIES
MAY – AUGUST

For additional information, call 504-483-9488 or visit City Park’s website at neworleanscitypark.com

Mint juleps, wine, beer, soft drinks and food available.

No outside food or drink or pets allowed.

Click here or on the link to learn more about concerts in City Park on Thursdays.

http://neworleanscitypark.com/calendar/category/thursdays-at-twilight

July 16: Hot Club of New Orleans – The Hot Club of New
Orleans take the swing era music of Duke Ellington, Django
Reinhardt, and Stephan Grappelli (among others), retain the
classic groove, and then infuse it with their own modern
sensibilities. www.hotclubofneworleans.com

July 23: Bruce Daigrepont – Music came to Bruce at an early
age, and in the most traditional manner–handed down from
father to son. When he was growing up, no family gathering was
complete without a little playing and singing. His father picked
the guitar, while his Uncle Alton lent a remarkable voice to the
traditional Cajun songs and old-time country ballads. Bruce
almost single-handedly has popularized Cajun music and Cajun
dancing in New Orleans. www.brucedaigrepont.com

July 30: Banu Gibson – Gibson stands virtually at the top of her
eld. A superior and swinging jazz singer, Banu is one of the few
vocalists of her generation to maintain exclusive loyalty to songs
of the 1920s, ’30s, and ’40s. A powerful force on stage, her
enthusiasm and showmanship are highlighted by her wide range
and versatility. www.banugibson.com

August 6: Leroy Jones Quintet – Leroy has been a central
gure in the New Orleans jazz scene since the mid-seventies and
continuously expands and renes his musicianship. “I remember
Leroy years ago in New Orleans. He was always regarded as the
greatest. No one could touch him. For young musicians like me, he
was exciting, intimidating. For the older ones, he was the keeper
of the flame. But Leroy did more than keep the flame. He started a
forest fire…” Harry Connick, Jr. spiritofneworleans.com/leroy.htm

August 13: Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Revue – The
Honky Tonk Revue plays vintage honky tonk, rockabilly and
classic country music with a heavy dose of western swing. They
have a deep-seated love and appreciation for the tried and true
honky tonk sound. www.galholiday.com

August 20: Pster Sisters – Holley Bendtsen, Yvette Voelker,
Debbie Davis and Amasa Miller comprise one of the few groups
that represent the New Orleans swing era, with their recreation
of the Boswell Sisters arrangements, and the only act featuring
vocal jazz harmony. They bring joy to your soul, harmony to your
ears, and the best and biggest boogie-woogie to your feet.
www.pstersisters.com

August 27: Ten Year Katrina Anniversary with Paul Soniat
and Special Guests – The garden’s own, singer/songwriter Paul
Soniat, along with special guest artists, will perform a program
with emphasis on “Songs of Katrina” remembering how our life
was when Katrina hit, and to celebrate the incredible growth and
rebirth from the devastation we all faced ten years ago.
www.paulsoniat.com

Pavilion of the Two Sisters • New Orleans Botanical Garden • City Park
Gates open at 5pm – Music begins at 6pm • $10 admission
2015 THURSDAYS AT TWILIGHT CONCERT SERIES
MAY – AUGUST

For additional information, call 504-483-9488 or visit City Park’s website at garden.neworleanscitypark.com

Mint juleps, wine, beer, soft drinks and food available.

No outside food or drink or pets allowed.

Neighbor Helps Beautify the Area

June 19, 2015 by Charlie London

Many years ago, Faubourg St. John neighbor Rich Sacher saw the poor condition of the water lilies in City Park’s Botanical Garden pond then offered to take charge of them. After volunteering at City Park’s Botanical Garden pond for ten years, Rich knew he needed to start an aquatic nursery to meet the demand for these beauties. So, he did!

For over 35 years now, Rich and Aquatic Gardens have been donating and maintaining the water lilies at City Park’s Botanic Garden pond, and in recent years, at the pond in front of the museum, too.

Photos and info from Rich Sacher

American Aquatic Gardens
621 Elysian Fields, New Orleans, LA 70117
(on the edge of the French Quarter)
Daily 9-4 – Closed major holidays
(504) 944-0410

Super Secret in City Park

April 24, 2015 by Charlie London

Music Box announces ‘Super Secret’ concert to accompany New Orleans Jazz Fest

The makers of the Music Box Roving Village, that enchanting assembly of musical architecture in City Park, are planning a “Super Secret” April 24 concert to accompany the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival 2015, which takes place just a few block away

New Orleans stars Quintron, Luke Winslow-King, Rob Cambre and Dustin Louque will perform using the eccentric instruments of the Music Box, joined by Jazz Fest performers whose names will only be announced on the day of the concert. Hence the secrecy.

Whatever guest performers appear at the 8:30 p.m. April 24 concert, the outdoor, largely improvised show will be unlike any other music experience in town.

The Music Box Roving Village: City Park

*What: Music performed in whimsical array of small sculptural dwellings that second as one-of-a-kind musical instruments.

*Where: In City Park near the intersection of Harrison Avenue and Wisner Boulevard.

*When: April 24 at 8:30 p.m., doors open at 7 p.m.
*Tickets are $20 and are available online.
*More information: Visit the Music Box website.
http://www.eventbrite.com/e/roving-village-orchestra-special-after-jazz-fest-performance-april-24th-tickets-16026948033

Music Box Roving Village in City Park

The musical shantytown
The Music Box Roving Village: City Park will host concerts with the houses serving as the orchestra. Its performances are 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

The bright, intricate nests made by bowerbirds inspired Ross Harmon and Frank Pahl’s shack, surrounded with heavy chimes tuned to different scales. The inside is completely covered in mosaic mirrors.

Callie Curry (aka Swoon) collaborated with New Orleans blacksmith Darryl Reeves on a gazebo-like structure, detailed with lattice-like brass cuttings and Reeves’ brass instruments twisted into the house’s frame. A pneumatic switchboard in the center controls the horns

A tall windmill-inspired silo topped with tubes and metal shaped into musical ceiling fans. Slowly pull a rope from the ornate pulley system inside the house and you’ll hear the tubes catch air as they turn into resonating chambers bellowing slightly dissonant tones.

“We’ll probably have only heard our instruments playing together for the first time the day before, “It’ll be sunset when people first arrive. We want them to feel like they’ve entered an enchanted world. They’ll come in, find these musical houses, find their seats – they’ll be all over the place – and we’ll have a concert that we have no idea what it will sound like.”

The Music Box – December 10, 2011 from New Orleans Airlift on Vimeo

Friday Nights at NOMA

April 17, 2015 by Charlie London

FRIDAY NIGHTS AT NOMA: LECTURE WITH GREY GUNDAKER, POETRY SLAM, AND MORE
5-9 p.m. April 17, 2015

Tonight, Grey Gundaker gives a lecture in the Stern Auditorium: “Ancestors, Remembrance, and Moral Force: Flashes of Spirit in Burial and Residential Settings.” Enjoy live performances by N’Kafu Traditional African Dance Company, plus NOMA has free art activities, a cash bar, and of course, great art!

*5-8 p.m.: Art on the Spot
*5-6, 7-8 p.m.: Music by N’Kafu Traditional African Dance Company
*6 p.m.: Lecture by Grey Gundaker, Professor of American Studies and Anthropology at William and Mary College
*6 p.m.: Youth Poetry Slam Open Mic
*7 p.m.: Poetry Slam hosted by Slam New Orleans

About N’Kafu Traditional African Dance Company
N’Kafu Traditional African Dance Company was founded by Mariama Curry out of the pure love and passion of African traditions. N’Kafu is dedicated to the research, historical documentation, preservation, presentation, and promotion of African folklore. Mariama has taught and performed in New Orleans area schools for over 20 years. Her company performs annually for events throughout the state.

About Slam New Orleans
Slam New Orleans is a spoken word grass root initiative whose goal is to promote spoken word and slam poetry competitions to all ages, genders and races. Founded in 2008 by a group of local poets that believed that this medium of expression could save lives, and wanted New Orleans to be represented nationally, because they were not since hurricane Katrina in 2005. Each year Slam New Orleans organizes a team of adult poets, named Team S.N.O. to go to regional and national poetry competitions to represent the New Orleans poetry scene. Since its inception, Team S.N.O. has won three national poetry slam titles, placed second at the Southern Fried Poetry Slam in 2010 and 2012, and third place at Southwest Shoot Out Poetry Slam and 3rd at the National Poetry Slam 2014.

About Grey Gundaker
Grey Gundaker is Duane A. and Virginia S. Dittman Professor of American Studies and professor of Anthropology at the College of William & Mary. She began studying and writing about African American religious and philosophical knowledge that informs designed landscapes, burial and ancestral tributes, and the arts 25 years ago, while a graduate student at Yale, where she worked with the anthropologist John Szwed and art historian Robbert Farris Thompson. Her publications include numerous articles and the books Signs of Diaspora/Diaspora of Signs: Literacies, Creolization and Vernacular Practice in African America, Keep Your Head to the Sky: Interpreting African American Home Ground, and with co-author Judith McWillie, No Space Hidden: The Spirit of African American Yard Work.

Ancestors, Remembrance, and Moral Force: Flashes of Spirit in Burial and Residential Settings
In the African Diaspora legacies of Kongo join the traditions of other peoples and American Christianity in a rich repertoire of commemorative symbols and practices that show respect for those who have transitioned recently and in the more distant past. For many African peoples rights in land were demonstrated by material signs showing ancestral connections to the landscape. When groups migrated they planted these signs in new terrain. For African Americans enslaved in the United States, it remained essential to show respect for the dead, but it was especially important to transcend the rupture of the Middle Passage by asserting rights in a new and hostile surroundings. This talk follows a transatlantic thread which links flashing and white substances with transition across water and continuing spiritual presence in the world of the living, showing how these signs move back and forth between burial and home landscapes of commemoration.

Spring Garden Show

April 12, 2015 by Charlie London

Check out the Spring Garden Show today at the New Orleans Botanical Garden in City Park.

The annual Spring Garden Show in the New Orleans Botanical Garden invites visitors to explore the beautiful Botanical Garden, more than 50 horticultural exhibits, family friendly activities, and enjoy educational lectures. The festival includes plant sales, garden product sales, a Plant Health Clinic, the Children’s Discovery Zone, an art market, and live music on the Haspel Outdoor Stage. CONTACT: Susan Capley, Education Director for the New Orleans Botanical Garden: [email protected] or (504) 483-9473.

TODAY, Sunday, April 12, 10am to 5pm

Go to the New Orleans Botanical Garden at 3 Victory Avenue in New Orleans City Park
There is free parking available on Park streets and in the parking lot next to City Putt.

Admission is $8.00 for Adults and $4.00 for Children 5 to 12.
Children under 5 and Friends of City Park receive free admission.

TODAY, Sunday April 12, 2015 from 12pm to 1pm you can learn about “Caring for Citrus and Managing its Pests” from Sarah Bertrand, Jefferson Parish Horticulture Extension, LSU AgCenter

From 1:30pm to 2:30pm, you can learn about “No Thyme for Parsley” from Linda Franzo & Collen Wood, Herb Society of America, New Orleans Unit

From 3pm to 3:30pm, check out the VIDEO “Elem-Tree: Trees, Our Heritage, Our Lives” featuring Tom Campbell, Retired LA Urban Forestry Program Director and Paul Orr, Retired LA Forester. This video was made possible by the Friends of Jefferson the Beautiful and Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry The “Plant Doctor” Dr. Nick Singh, from the LSU AgCenter Plant Diagnostic Center, will also be on hand today to answer questions about plant disease, insect and weed problems. Patrons are encouraged to bring samples of plants with disease and insect problems to the Plant Health Clinic! Please bring the samples in a sealed zip-lock type bag.

LSU AgCenter faculty and volunteers can help diagnose and recommend treatment for sick plants. For a nominal fee, soil samples may be brought in for analysis by the LSU AgCenter’s Soil Testing Lab. Please also provide these in a zip-lock type plastic bag. For additional information or to book exhibit space, please contact the LSU AgCenter at (504) 658-2900.

The Spring Garden Show is sponsored by the LSU AgCenter in cooperation with the Metro Area Horticultural Foundation and the New Orleans Botanical Garden.

Save the dates! The 2016 Spring Garden Show will be held in New Orleans City Park on April 2nd and April 3rd.