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. Historic images, videos, and more than three dozen audio clips highlight the tremendous, often dangerous effort to transform Louisiana from a Jim Crow holdout into a more equitable place for all residents. Narratives include boycotts, public school desegregation, the Congress of Racial Equality, the 1963 March on City Hall, voter registration and education efforts, and activism in the Desire neighborhood. 

The Trail They Blazed is presented by NOLA Resistance, a community initiative led by the Historic New Orleans Collection to preserve Civil Rights Movement history. Prior to being on view at the Collection, the exhibition has been featured across New Orleans as a traveling exhibition since early 2024.