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Slavery & Its Legacies

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An illustration showing a Black shoemaker near New Orleans's French Market.

Exhibitions

Made to Last: Black Craftspeople in Early New Orleans

June 25, 2027 to January 9, 2028

Follow the lives of three craftspeople who used their skills as artisans to navigate Louisiana’s ever-shifting political, cultural, and economic landscape.

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Photograph of an unidentified Black craftsperson with a hammer

Exhibitions

Fighting for Freedom: Black Craftspeople and the Pursuit of Independence

June 25, 2027 to January 9, 2028

Explore the contributions of Black craftspeople in this traveling exhibition developed by the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum and the Black Craftspeople Digital Archive.

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Announcement

HNOC, LHA select “Pinchback: America’s First Black Governor” for 2025 Williams Prize

March 11, 2026

Author Nicholas Patler sheds new light on the life of an influential leader in Reconstruction-era Louisiana.

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Collection highlights

“The Scourged Back”

HNOC acquired an original copy of the infamous image that took Civil War-era America by storm, quickly becoming a tool of the abolitionist cause.

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A historical museum exhibit features a large black-and-white photograph of an old prison building. In front, there is a wooden stock used for restraining prisoners, with openings for neck and wrists. The quote on the photo describes the harsh prison conditions.

HNOC in the News

Louisiana Weekly: HNOC Receives LEH Award for Louisiana Mass Incarceration Exhibit

January 29, 2026

Officials praised “Captive State” for addressing a difficult and often polarizing subject with scholarly depth while remaining accessible to a broad audience.

Exhibit wall with a blue panel stating, The institutions of slavery and mass incarceration are historically linked. A section titled CAPTIVE STATE features text and a colorful quilt with nature and wildlife motifs displayed on the right.

Press Release

“Captive State” Named Museum Exhibition of the Year by Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities

January 15, 2026

HNOC joins eight other Bright Lights Awards recipients that were recognized for their significant contributions to the understanding of Louisiana’s history and culture in the humanities field.