NOLA Resistance: The Civil Rights Movement in New Orleans

The modern African American Civil Rights Movement brought about immense cultural change in New Orleans. The fight for racial justice included voter registration drives as well as efforts to end segregation and curtail discrimination in schools, on public transportation, and in businesses. Local chapters of CORE, the NAACP, and the NAACP youth council led the movement.

These oral histories, funded in part by a National Park Service grant, record testimony from individuals who were active in the fight for racial equality in New Orleans from the 1950s through the 1970s. You can listen to their stories and read the associated transcripts in our online catalog or in person at the Williams Research Center Reading Room at 410 Chartres Street, New Orleans, LA 70130. Call (504) 598-7171 to make an appointment.

These ten short videos highlight stories from the Civil Rights Movement in New Orleans.

Black girl and white girl playing in a desegregated school