The Trail They Blazed
Leaders of the local Civil Rights Movement tell their stories of resistance and persistence.
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.
Video: Lunch Counter Sit-Ins on Canal Street
Support
This exhibition is made possible with support from our generous sponsors and partners.
“The Trail They Blazed” Tour & Conversation
Experience the history of the Civil Rights Movement in New Orleans and how its themes resonate today.
Related Shortcut Talk
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.
Related Pages
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.
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.
Related Exhibitions
The Trail They Blazed (Traveling)
A traveling exhibition built in collaboration with leaders of the local Civil Rights Movement and those working to preserve its legacy
Related Stories
Why the 19th Amendment Didn’t End the Struggle for Voting Rights
For many women in the South, its ratification was only the beginning of their fight for equality.
Into the Heart of the Beast
As the 1961 Freedom Rides transfixed the nation, New Orleans civil rights activists played a crucial role.
Related Collection Highlights
American Black Directory
A post-segregation sibling to the Green Book, this directory compiled information on Black-owned businesses across the country.
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.
Related Virtual Exhibitions
“Yet She Is Advancing”: New Orleans Women and the Right to Vote, 1878–1970
The story of women’s suffrage, leading up to and beyond the passage of the 19th Amendment
Voices of Progress: Twenty Women Who Changed New Orleans
Portraits of women who fought for equality, justice, and charity
Related Books
Shop The Trail They Blazed Collection
Browse our selection of books, hand-picked by curators of The Trail They Blazed, now available at the Shop at the Collection.
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