Louisiana Legacies - P - Paperback

by Janet Allured (Author), Michael S. Martin (Author)

Showcasing the colorful, even raucous, political, social, and unique cultural qualities of Louisiana history, this new collection of essays features the finest and latest scholarship.

• Includes readings featuring recent scholarship that expand on traditional historical accounts
• Includes material on every region of Louisiana
• Covers a wide range of fields, including social, environmental, and economic history
• Detailed, focused material on different areas in Louisiana history, including women's history as well as the state's diverse ethnic populations

Back Jacket

Combining the best previously-published articles and essays on a variety of historical topics, Louisiana Legacies provides a compendium of well-written and accessible perspectives on the state's history. The volume covers material ranging from colonial era interactions between Native Americans and the first European settlers to the environmental history of the state's southern wetlands, whose ecology is internationally recognized for its stunning natural diversity as much as its extreme vulnerability to the pressures of climate change and human encroachment.

The collection reflects the richness of today's historical purview, with tightly focused chapters on a multitude of fascinating subjects. They include analyses of Louisiana's tumultuous political history in the modern era, its troubled road towards racial equality, and the fiery debate over racial attitudes. The unique cultural qualities of Louisiana, including its Cajun cuisine and the inimitable jazz tradition of New Orleans, are also areas of focus.

Author Biography

Michael S. Martin is Associate Professor of History at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and director of its Center for Louisiana Studies. He also manages the university's publishing concern and its Center for Cultural and Eco-Tourism. Dr. Martin is also the managing editor of the Louisiana Historical Association's quarterly journal, Louisiana History. His publications include Chemical Engineering at the University of Arkansas: A Centennial History, 1902-2002 (2002), and Historic Lafayette (2007).

Janet Allured is Professor of History at McNeese State University and coordinator of its Women's Studies program. The co-editor of Louisiana Women: Their Lives and Times (2009), she also shared the authorship of Images of America: Lake Charles (2012). She is currently working on a history of the modern feminist movement in Louisiana.