Nov 30, 2018
Established in 1841, New Orleans’ public schools were meant to support all to participate in society and the economy. This brief highlights steps that our community can take so that our public schools truly serve these original ideals.
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Aug 23, 2018
This brief examines where the most growth has happened in the last few years, as well as how much neighborhoods have recovered since Katrina. The latest Census and postal data suggest that population growth in New Orleans has slowed. The postal data shows that 58 of the city’s 72 neighborhoods experienced an increase in active residences from 2017 to 2018. On the other hand, 12 neighborhoods lost active residences from 2017 to 2018.
Learn MoreMay 30, 2018
Cancer, heart disease, and stroke has fallen since 1999, yet blacks are more likely to die from each than whites in New Orleans. This brief describes healthcare access and the myriad of other factors that contribute to health disparities, historically and today.
Learn MoreMay 14, 2018
How did our current system of bail bonds come about? Jailing an accused person because they cannot pay bail has been unlawful in the entire federal criminal justice system for decades. This brief describes bail across the city’s 300-year history and how it morphed away from a right to be free before trial.
Learn MoreApr 30, 2018
The fight for civil rights have been continuous throughout New Orleans’ history. This brief examines the array of actions taken by black New Orleanians to achieve equal rights including lawsuits, organizing, and voting - tactics that continue to be used today.
Learn MoreApr 11, 2018
As New Orleans completes her 300th year, the tricentennial is an important moment to reflect on the city’s history and achievements. But in addition to celebrating their storied past, New Orleanians are eager to learn from it. Since 2005, when Katrina struck and the levees failed, New Orleanians have worked hard to rebuild their city better than before, preserving that which they treasure, while reforming and strengthening their institutions, and increasing opportunities for prosperity. The tricentennial represents an auspicious occasion for both celebration and reflection.
Learn MoreApr 05, 2018
Many topics in this collection touch upon where and how we have occupied this deltaic metropolis. This brief discusses what those historical settlement patterns imply for future prosperity and sustainability.
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Beneath New Orleans’ shared sense of tradition lies another reality marked by separation. This brief examines the history of neighborhood segregation in New Orleans and its impact on contemporary racial disparities in wealth, access to opportunity, and vulnerability to disaster risk.
Learn MoreMar 29, 2018
Beginning from the first incarnation of Orleans Parish Prison in 1721 by Bienville at Jackson Square to its current iteration under federal court supervision, the form and function of the jail has changed. Unearthing the history of the New Orleans jail and its relationship with the city, this essay discusses new solutions that include the voices of the impacted communities.
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