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Three people sit inside a diner. From left to right: a man in a white shirt and cap, a man in a dark jacket and hat, and an elderly woman in a dress with a cane. They are seated around a small table with chairs. The setting is cozy and vintage.

Oral History

HNOC’s oral history program preserves diverse personal narratives, fostering a richer collective memory through interviews and vignettes. 

Research

New Orleans Life Story Project

Narratives of people who have shaped the neighborhoods, politics, and culture of the city.

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A group of eight people, including three children, pose on a street corner in front of a restaurant and a Do Not Enter sign. They are dressed in vintage attire, and a building is visible in the background.
Research

Through Hell and High Water

One of the most substantial historical resources documenting what happened in New Orleans in the weeks following Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

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A submerged neighborhood with rooftops barely above water and a fire burning on one buildings roof. Power lines and a sign partially visible above the floodwaters. Trees with damaged branches are in the background.
Research

Vieux Carré Memoir

Vieux Carré Memoir was created to archive the voices of those who have influenced life in the French Quarter, giving researchers an understanding of the changing nature of the Vieux Carré during the second half of the 20th century.

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Three people sit inside a diner. From left to right: a man in a white shirt and cap, a man in a dark jacket and hat, and an elderly woman in a dress with a cane. They are seated around a small table with chairs. The setting is cozy and vintage.
Research

NOLA Resistance

Explore our oral history project featuring testimony from individuals who were active in the fight for racial equality in New Orleans between 1954 and 1976.

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A group of people sits at a diner counter. A woman drinks from a soda bottle, while another eats a burger. A man is smoking a cigarette. The counter is filled with plates and glasses, and the background shows shelves with various items.
Research

Losing Ground

An oral history project that records the history and culture of Gulf Coast communities endangered by coastal land loss.

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An aerial photo shows flooding in Lafitte after Hurricane Ida. A thin floodwall, which has been breached, is visible around the village.
Research

Viet Chronicle

An oral history project that documents New Orleans’s Vietnamese American community, which continues to profoundly influence the city and its culture.

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A vintage family photo of nine people. Four adults stand behind a sofa with five children sitting on it. The background features a tapestry. Everyone is smiling, capturing a moment of joy and togetherness.
Research

Burt Harter

Originally conceived to document the life of well-known, gay New Orleans artist and curator John Burton Harter, this project expanded to include life stories from the LGBT+ community in New Orleans.

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A man in a suit and glasses poses with a hand gesture in front of a framed portrait of a woman in historical attire, wearing a blue bonnet and holding an object. Both appear poised and formal.
Research

Sugar Bowl Memory Project

The Sugar Bowl Memory Project collects the oral histories of longtime Sugar Bowl members, as well as those of players and coaches—many of whom have recorded their stories as part of their induction into the Sugar Bowl Hall of Fame.

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A black and white collage featuring headshots of men above a photo of a stadium with Sugar Bowl written on the field. A prominent trophy is shown on the left, labeled The Sugar Bowl with additional smaller portraits below.
Research

From the Front Line

When the novel coronavirus arrived, HNOC got to work gathering narratives from policy makers, health workers, and others who served on the front lines of the crisis.

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Two healthcare workers wearing blue protective gowns, face shields, and masks stand indoors near a transparent partition. The environment appears to be a medical or testing facility, with visible industrial-style ceilings and fluorescent lighting.
Research

All Things Both Great and Small

The result of HNOC's partnership with agencies involved in wildlife rescue operations following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

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A group of brown pelicans with long beaks and dark plumage gathered closely together, standing on a light surface. The background consists of a warm-toned, textured wall.
Research & Collections

Online Catalog

Search or browse through HNOC’s vast collections of manuscripts, artifacts, books, artwork, and more in our online catalog.

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A painting of a woman with a red headscarf and bare shoulders against a dark background. She is wearing a white garment and seated with one hand resting on her knee, looking directly at the viewer.

Related Resources

TriPod

A podcast finds new angles on 300 years of New Orleans history, coproduced by HNOC and New Orleans Public Radio, WWNO 89.9 FM.

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Watch & Listen

Enjoy videos, podcasts, archival footage, oral histories, and more from HNOC.

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