HNOC Receives Honors at 2026 New Orleans Press Club Awards
Best Blog among four awards received by HNOC staff in communications, publications, and curatorial departments.
On Saturday, July 18, HNOC took home four titles at the 2026 New Orleans Press Club Awards (NOPC), led by Interim Director of Publications Nick Weldon. Each year, the honors are determined by a national panel of judges representing press clubs throughout the country and are announced at NOPC’s annual Excellence in Journalism Awards Gala.
HNOC’s First Draft Blog took 1st Place for Best Blog, its second year in a row claiming the top spot. Honorees included Terri Simon, editor; Molly Reid Cleaver, managing editor of communications; and Ryan Kreiser, web content developer.
The remaining three awards were received for articles published on the blog. Nick Weldon won 1st Place in Governmental/Political Reporting for “Louisiana v. Voting Rights, Then and Now” and 2nd Place in Serious Feature Reporting for “Into the Heart of the Beast.” Associate Curator Kelley Hines earned 3rd Place in Environmental/Science Reporting for “Grass Roots.”
Learn more about the 2026 New Orleans Press Club Awards here and read the award-winning posts below!
Award-Winning Posts
Louisiana v. Voting Rights, Then and Now
With a Louisiana redistricting case on the Supreme Court’s 2025–26 docket, the Voting Rights Act is once again under scrutiny. It’s not the first time Louisiana has tested the boundaries of the franchise.
Into the Heart of the Beast
As the 1961 Freedom Rides transfixed the nation, New Orleans civil rights activists played a crucial role.
Grass Roots
The native plants of Louisiana’s coast form a vital part of the region’s ecosystem and cultures.
More HNOC in the News
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WWL-TV: HNOC Celebrates America’s 250th with Free Interactive Exhibition
WYES-TV: HNOC Chief Curator Discusses the New Orleans Experience Throughout US History
Episode Two of “Beyond the 13 Colonies” Discusses Bernardo de Gálvez, Spanish Governor of Louisiana
WWNO and HNOC Debut “Beyond the 13 Colonies” Radio Series
NOLA.com Features HNOC’s Paul Prudhomme Building Among 19 Award-Winning Historic Renovation Projects
WVUE: HNOC Curator Discusses the Dryades Street Boycott of 1960
WVUE: HNOC Curator Explores the History of Shotgun Houses
NOLA Now: HNOC Offers Curator Camp for Museum-Loving Teens
NOLA.com: See a 360-Degree View of the American Revolution at this New French Quarter Exhibit
Country Roads Magazine: Time Travel on Royal Street
NOLA.com: A Place That Embodies What America Is About
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