Skip to content
The Historic New Orleans Collection
Visit
Calendar
HNOC in the News

NOLA.com Names HNOC Historian Jari Honora as 2025 “Louisianan of the Year”

January 5, 2026

The family historian and certified genealogist received the honor for his work connecting the pope’s heritage to the state’s history and culture.

Jari Honora, HNOC Family Historian
Photo by Brett Duke, NOLA.com | The Times Picayune
NOLA.com / The Times Picyaune
“In 2025, there were plenty of Louisianans who made important contributions, but no other Louisianan had the kind of global impact that reminded us why our state and its unique place in history matter. . . . A certified genealogist and one of only three Black genealogists in the country to achieve that rank, Honora isn’t just looking at the family trees of celebrities. He has helped many families around the state learn about their roots—particularly those who have questions about their Creole heritage.”

Editorial staff, NOLA.com | The Times Picayune

Read More Read More

Download This Article

Read a downloadable PDF version of the article below.

Jari Honora 2025 Louisianan of the Year: NOLA.com | The Times Picayune Download Download

Further Reading

Check out our First Draft blog post about Jari’s discovery of Pope Leo XIV’s Louisiana heritage.

First Draft

From the French Quarter to the Vatican

Shortly after Robert Francis Prevost was announced as the first American pope, HNOC’s Jari C. Honora uncovered a surprising New Orleans connection, revealing the pontiff’s maternal grandparents to be Creoles of color from the Seventh Ward. 

View View
A boy in white lay garments leads a church procession down the street, followed by other boys in white lay garments wearing crucifixes and holding chalices.

Related Stories

View More
First Draft

What’s the Difference Between Cajun and Creole—Or Is There One?

The answers are tied up in race, class, language, and, of course, history.

View View
First Draft

Identity Theft

Nearly 35 years ago, a heedless conservator altered a rare portrait of a free woman of color. Now, it has been restored and is on view again—and this time, HNOC is telling the story. 

View View

Related Collection Highlights

View More
A nun stands outside a building with three large arched windows. She is facing the windows, holding a book. The building is white with some visible plants and a tree on the right. The scene has a quiet, contemplative atmosphere.

Mother St. Croix Photographs of Ursuline Convent

The ebullient nun documented her cloisters, sisters, and pupils with care and skill. In doing so she became the earliest known woman to photographically record daily life in New Orleans

Learn More
Allison “Tootie” Montana, big chief of the Yellow Pocahontas wearing an elaborate pink and orange feathered costume with detailed beadwork and intricate patterns stands confidently. The outfit includes a large headdress and symbolic designs across the chest and arms.

Michael P. Smith Collection

Smith documented the music, parading, and Black folk traditions of New Orleans for decades.

Learn More
2004 0030 o10 cropped

Fortier Embroidery Sampler

A 200-year-old piece of needlework by a young student at the Ursuline Convent sheds light on the lives of Catholic Creole girls in early 19th-century Louisiana.

Learn More

Related News

View More
HNOC, OperaCreole, and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra presented Musical Louisiana 2025 at St. Louis Cathedral.
HNOC in the News

Gambit: Musical Louisiana Concert Highlights Works of Underrecognized Creole Composers

March 2, 2026
Get an in-depth preview of HNOC’s upcoming “Echoes of Innovation” concert (March 4), with commentary from museum staff and community partners.
Read More
A headshot of Daniel Hammer, President and CEO of the Historic New Orleans Collection. The museum's courtyard can be seen in the background.
HNOC in the News

WWL Radio: Daniel Hammer Discusses Pope Leo XIV and Upcoming Exhibitions

June 2, 2025
HNOC’s president and CEO went on the Newell Normand Show to talk about the organization’s role in discovering the ancestry of the new pope and much more.
Read More
A screen capture of HNOC historian Jari Honora appearing on CBS Mornings.
HNOC in the News

CBS Mornings: What to Know about Pope Leo XIV’s Ancestry

May 27, 2025
It was recently revealed that new pope has Louisiana Creole ancestry. Jari Honora, a family historian at the Historic New Orleans Collection, made the discovery and joined “CBS Mornings Plus” to explain.
Read More

Related Books

View More
Cover of Afro-Creole Poetry: In French from Louisiana’s Radical Civil War-Era Newspapers. Features a circular design on a background of faded text. Includes A Bilingual Edition and contributors Clint Bruce and Angel Adams Parham.

Afro-Creole Poetry in French from Louisiana’s Radical Civil War–Era Newspapers

translated and introduced by Clint Bruce
with a foreword by Angel Adams Parham

Learn More Buy Now Buy Now
The image shows a book titled Economy Hall: The Hidden History of a Free Black Brotherhood by Fatima Shaik. The cover features a vintage, worn notebook with a marbled design and a paper label.

Economy Hall: The Hidden History of a Free Black Brotherhood

by Fatima Shaik

Learn More Buy Now Buy Now
Book cover of Call Me Larry by Larry Bagneris and Ryan Gomez. Features a black and white photo of a man in a suit, framed by a rainbow-colored border against a black background. Subtitled A Creole Mans Triumph over Racism and Homophobia.

Call Me Larry: A Creole Man’s Triumph over Racism and Homophobia

by Larry Bagneris

Learn More Buy Now Buy Now
Stay Connected

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

1950 30 o6