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The Historic New Orleans Collection
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
NOLA.com / The Times Picyaune

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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

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First Draft

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

First Draft

Reading Between the Lines of the Ursulines Nuns’ Prayer Books

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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.

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.

One of a series of images showing the front cover, endpapers, preface, and notation pages from the Ursuline Music Manuscript.

Ursuline Music Manuscript

This nearly-300-year-old songbook is the oldest known music manuscript in Louisiana history.

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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.
HNOC in the News

NPR: Why Black Catholics in New Orleans Feel a Special Connection to Pope Leo XIV

June 5, 2025
HNOC family historian Jari Honora spoke with “All Things Considered” about the new pope’s Creole ancestry and what it means for residents of the 7th Ward.
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.
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.

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