NOLA.com Names HNOC Historian Jari Honora as 2025 “Louisianan of the Year”
The family historian and certified genealogist received the honor for his work connecting the pope’s heritage to the state’s history and culture.
Editorial staff, NOLA.com | The Times Picayune
Download This Article
Read a downloadable PDF version of the article below.
Further Reading
Check out our First Draft blog post about Jari’s discovery of Pope Leo XIV’s Louisiana heritage.
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.
Related Stories
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.
Four Real New Orleans Legends that Put Ghost Stories to Shame
New Orleans has its fair share of myths and ghost stories, but the truth is always stranger than fiction.
Related Collection Highlights
Michael P. Smith Collection
Smith documented the music, parading, and Black folk traditions of New Orleans for decades.
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.
Ursuline Music Manuscript
This nearly-300-year-old songbook is the oldest known music manuscript in Louisiana history.
Related News
New Orleans Jazz Museum to Screen Award-Winning Documentary Made with HNOC Support
Gambit: Musical Louisiana Concert Highlights Works of Underrecognized Creole Composers
WWL Radio: Daniel Hammer Discusses Pope Leo XIV and Upcoming Exhibitions
Related Books
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
Subscribe to Our Newsletter