Black and white photo of people in line for voting registration outside a building. Two men are seated near a Voting Applications sign, and several individuals are standing in line, some wearing hats and summer clothing.

People in line for voter registration in Louisiana, 1965, Photograph by Phil H. Guarisco. HNOC, 2019.0021.6

The Trail They Blazed

Leaders of the local Civil Rights Movement tell their stories of resistance and persistence.

June 6, 2025 to June 7, 2026

520 Royal Street
Tricentennial Wing, 3rd Floor

Included in free museum admission

Built collaboratively with people who participated in the local Civil Rights Movement, The Trail They Blazed presents stories of social and racial justice straight from the people who lived them. The multimedia experience immerses visitors in the movement, with ambient musical recordings of songs sung by activists, more than three dozen audio excerpts from oral history interviews, archival news footage, stirring photography, an interactive voter registration test, and more. The voices of those who experienced it firsthand narrate the tremendous and often dangerous effort to transform Louisiana from a Jim Crow holdout into a more equitable place for all residents.

The spark for change can come from anywhere—from four brave schoolgirls to networks of undaunted college students, faith leaders, and community supporters. All blazed trails for future generations. This is how they did it—in their own words.

Photos by Amber Johnson, HNOC

Highlight: Lunch Counter Sit-Ins on Canal Street

In the 1950s, the Dryades Street commercial corridor primarily served Black customers, but its white business owners refused to employ Black workers in their stores above the menial level. Activists from the Consumers’ League of Greater New Orleans, fed up with the lack of job opportunities, organized a boycott of these businesses in the spring of 1960. Later that year, several of them formed a local chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and brought their nonviolent actions to Canal Street to protest segregated lunch counters.

In this video, HNOC’s Eric Seiferth highlights the work of these activists as told in The Trail They Blazed.

Support

This exhibition is made possible with support from our generous sponsors and partners.

Lead Sponsor

Media Sponsor

Community Partner

Tour “The Trail They Blazed”

Book our recommended companion tour for this exhibition.

Events

“The Trail They Blazed” Tour and Conversation

Wednesday–Saturday
10–11 a.m.

Experience the history of the Civil Rights Movement in New Orleans and engage in conversations about how issues from the time are still relevant today.

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A group of museum visitors explores an exhibition at HNOC, led by a staff member giving a tour.

Related Exhibition Shortcut

Shortcuts are free, daily talks that explore Gulf South history and culture through the lens of our exhibitions.

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The Community That Shaped Civil Rights in New Orleans

Explore how New Orleans communities sustained the Civil Rights Movement in this talk presented in HNOC’s The Trail They Blazed exhibition.

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A group of adults and children stand outside Dooky Chases Restaurant. They smile at the camera in front of the restaurants sign, with a brick wall and street in the background. The scene captures a moment of gathering and joy.

Learn & Explore

2026 Student Writing Contest: “The Trail They Blazed”

Students address important civil rights issues facing America today and in the future, inspired by the HNOC exhibition The Trail They Blazed.

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Civil rights protesters march past a shopping center. A Dollar Store and Walgreens can be seen in the background.

NOLA Resistance

Learn more about the Civil Rights Movement in New Orleans through HNOC’s community initiative NOLA Resistance. Find oral histories, videos, lesson plans, information about the traveling exhibition The Trail They Blazed, and more.

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A group of civil rights activists, including men in suits and ties and women in dresses, march together on a street, surrounded by supporters. A sign for a restaurant is visible in the background. The scene is from a historical protest.

A view of two visitors exploring "The Trail They Blazed" exhibition at HNOC.

Related Exhibitions

Exhibitions

The Trail They Blazed (Traveling)

January 6 to April 19, 2026

A traveling exhibition built in collaboration with leaders of the local Civil Rights Movement and those working to preserve its legacy

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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.

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American Black Directory

A post-segregation sibling to the Green Book, this directory compiled information on Black-owned businesses across the country.

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Dr. Louis Charles Roudanez Papers

A rare collection of manuscript essays and family correspondence offers a thrilling look at one of the most influential people in the early struggle for African American civil rights in Louisiana.

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