LHA Annual Meeting

The Louisiana Historical Association held its 54^th annual meeting at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in the French Quarter, March 1-4, 2012. We all enjoyed hearing the lively presentations, and seeing so many familiar faces of visiting researchers. Thematic sessions of several short talks were guided along quickly—these emphasized racial and gender issues in 19^th century Louisiana, 20^th century politics, and other wide-ranging topics.

Octavia Books arranged tables displaying their Louisiana literature for sale, including an appealing array of many of the scholarly monographs of the conference speakers.

Featured above is Professor Arthé Anthony, of the American Studies Program, Occidental College, delivering her talk, “The Photography of Florestine Perrault Collins: From Downtown to Midtown.” Professor Anthony’s research and teaching interests include an interdisciplinary examination of the American South, a socio-historical view of 20th-century African-American literature, African-American history, and women's studies/gender studies. The photographic image she is discussing here is of portrait photographer Florestine Perrault Collins (1895-1988) as an adolescent.

Photographs and post by Susanna Powers