Crescent City Sport
Stories of Courage and Change
Objects on loan and from HNOC’s holdings tell tales of sporting life and civic communion in New Orleans.
520 Royal Street
Tricentennial Wing
3rd Floor
Story is central to our love of sport. Tales of improbable upsets, fallen champions, and bitter rivalries that span generations are all familiar and compelling narratives. Sports also transcend the personal experiences of players and fans, mirroring broader economic and cultural phenomena and serving as a laboratory for social change.
Since the end of the Civil War, they have played a vital role in New Orleans’s slow (and often reluctant) progress toward gender equality and racial inclusivity. A critical component of the city’s tourism economy, sports emerged as a fiscal and spiritual necessity as the city recovered from Hurricane Katrina.
Drawing upon HNOC’s rich sports-related holdings and enhanced by loans from local collections, Crescent City Sport: Stories of Courage and Change tells 20 tales of sporting life and civic communion in New Orleans.
Gallery views
Support
This exhibition is made possible with support from the following sponsors.
Related Exhibitions
Duck Decoys: The Anne and Dick Stephens Collection of Wildfowl Artifacts
Related Stories
Before the Superdome, There Was Tulane Stadium
The venue played host to Tulane Green Wave games, the New Orleans Saints’s first few seasons, and three Super Bowls.
From the Pinchbacks to the Baby Cakes
New Orleans has had a long relationship with America’s pastime.
From Slavery to Sports Stardom
At a time when horse racing was arguably the most popular sport in America, Abe Hawkins was known as “the best rider on the continent.”
Five Unsung Sports Stories from New Orleans History
The evolution of organized sports paralleled the transformation of the city after the Civil War.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter