The Hugh McCloskey papers were donated to THNOC in 2009 by the family of Corinne McCloskey Maunsell, who was Hugh’s daughter. They include a trove of photographs that provide a richer sense of the culture and beauty of New Orleans at the turn of the century. They also shed light on the journeys of three Irish brothers who made new lives for themselves in the Crescent City.

In 1776, many colonists made a great leap to a new idea: maybe they could do without monarchy and aristocracy. If they could unite with one another, “the common people” of the colonies might form a more equal society and government.

The 19th Amendment to the US Constitution extended the vote to American women in 1920. Its passage served as the crowning achievement of a decades-long struggle by women across the nation to be part of the democratic process. Although divided by race, class, and political strategy, Black and white women in New Orleans played a significant role in the women’s suffrage movement.