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James Booker with an afro, wearing an eye patch, smiles while playing a piano on stage. A crowd of people watches in the background, with a microphone and a can on the piano. The scene is in black and white.

Collection Highlights

Dive into the Collection’s holdings with image-rich previews of treasures from New Orleans history.

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Collection highlights

Polo Silk Photographs

His party pics captured the New Orleans music scene when Cash Money Records and New Orleans rap were on the precipice of worldwide fame.

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Juvenile and Polo Silk, between 1992 and 1999.

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A cropped view shows a sailing ship entering the Mississippi River in an engraving from Harper’s Weekly.

The South Pass Jetties of the Mississippi

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A detailed, artistic map titled French Quarter, Vieux Carré. Central circular calendar surrounded by historical illustrations of buildings, street scenes, and events in the French Quarter, framed with decorative borders and figures.

The How, When, and Where of Discriminating and Enjoyable Drinking

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A close-up of an ancient artifact showcasing intricate circular engravings with faded symbols and a star design. The piece is metallic with a worn, darkened surface, suggesting historical significance.

Ursuline Communion Wafer Iron

What this waffle iron look-alike tells us about female agency and spirituality in colonial New Orleans

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Five children of diverse backgrounds kneel on grass, looking at a glowing star in the night sky. They wear colorful attire representing different cultures. The scene conveys unity and wonder.

Christmas Card to Tessie, Leona, Ruby, and Gail

During the height of the fight for school integration, supporters sent Christmas cards to four brave New Orleans girls. 

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A vintage military drum featuring an eagle with a U.S. shield, surrounded by stars and decorative elements. The drum has worn red and blue paint, with rope tensioning and wooden rims, showing signs of age and use.

Jordan Noble Drum

Noble achieved lasting fame for his role in the Battle of New Orleans. His drum is a cornerstone of HNOC’s holdings related to the conflict and the War of 1812.

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A vintage illustration of a woman in a long dress sitting on a rustic bench in a garden. She holds a patterned shawl and gazes upwards. The scene is surrounded by lush foliage and a woven fence, creating a peaceful, nostalgic atmosphere.

Les lys et les roses

A bound volume of eight pieces for piano and voice sheds light on the role of women in New Orleans’s 19th-century music scene.

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A rustic, cylindrical wooden stump with a metal band around it, featuring a rough, jagged piece of iron protruding from the top, displayed against a plain white background.

Cypress Water Pipe

What a piece of antiquated infrastructure tells us about New Orleans’s growth and development in the 19th century

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A black conductors hat with a glossy visor and metallic band. It features a round badge with RAPID TRANSIT and BIG FOUR on the front, along with the number 1015 on a rectangular plaque below. The background is a neutral gray.

Streetcar Operator’s Cap

A cap from the Marie Finhold Streetcar Collection anchors an in-gallery display of streetcar memorabilia and artifacts.

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A vintage 78 RPM record with a red label in a brown paper sleeve. The label reads The Fat Man by Fats Domino and Imperial Records is printed at the top in red letters. The sleeve features a decorative design and Hollywood, California address.

The Fat Man / Detroit City Blues

Fats Domino’s first single, produced in New Orleans, is considered one of the first rock ’n’ roll songs in history. 

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Signature Collections

Portrait of a woman with dark hair, wearing a black dress with a white collar. She is seated, holding a small object in her left hand, against a plain background. Her expression is calm and composed.
Signature Collections

Cane River Collection

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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.
Signature Collections

Michael P. Smith Collection

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A person stands outdoors, holding a translucent fabric over their head against a textured wall. The shadow casts an intricate pattern on the wall. A potted plant and some grass are visible in the foreground.
Signature Collections

Clarence John Laughlin Archive

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Patent of nobility awarded to Bernardo de Gálvez by Carlos III of Spain, 1783.
Signature Collections

Bernardo de Gálvez Patent of Nobility

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A detailed sketch depicts a historic, multi-story building with ornate iron balconies, a lamppost on the street, and a person standing in the foreground. The artwork captures an architectural essence and street scene ambiance.
Signature Collections

Antoine’s Restaurant Collection

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An elderly man stands in a dimly lit room holding a small blue and white bird in one hand. He is wearing a light-colored shirt and dark pants. Cardboard boxes are stacked in the background.
Signature Collections

William Russell Jazz Collection

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An 18th-century harbor scene with ships docked along the shore. People walk and ride horses near the water. Buildings line the waterfront, and a fenced garden is in the foreground. A cow grazes in the field. The scene is pastoral and bustling.
Signature Collections

Robert R. Livingston’s Louisiana Purchase Letter

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Five children of diverse backgrounds kneel on grass, looking at a glowing star in the night sky. They wear colorful attire representing different cultures. The scene conveys unity and wonder.
Staff Picks

Christmas Card to Tessie, Leona, Ruby, and Gail

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Artist Archives

Illustration of a brown pelican perched on a branch with green leaves in the background. The bird is depicted in profile, showcasing its long beak and distinctive plumage.
Rare Books & Periodicals

Audubon’s “Birds of America”

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Watercolor painting of a solemn sailor in uniform beside a grave with a cross. The headstone reads, In honor of those who served, and lists several names. The artwork is abstract with muted colors and blurred edges.
Artist Archives

La Famil[l]e de Pajaud

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A whimsical illustration of two cartoon characters. One has wild white hair, large glasses, and hoop earrings, while the other sports a pointy nose and striped shirt. They appear lively and eccentric against a bright yellow background.
Artist Archives

Bunny Matthews Archive

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A woman kneels on the ground, shaping a large piece of stone or clay. She is surrounded by art materials and sculptures in an outdoor setting with a brick floor and plants in the background.
Artist Archives

Lin Emery Papers

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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.
Artist Archives

Mother St. Croix Photographs of Ursuline Convent

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A vintage photograph of Kid Ory, taken in 1917. He wears a dark suit and hat and carries a trombone case.
Recent Acquisitions

Edward “Kid” Ory Papers

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A painting of a man wearing sunglasses, playing a conga drum. He appears focused and is depicted in shades of green and blue. The text Alfred Uganda Roberts is visible in the bottom left corner.
Recent Acquisitions

Uganda Roberts Tape Collection

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A black and white photo of a busy outdoor art market. People are gathered along a narrow street lined with paintings displayed on easels and against the walls. Several individuals are looking at the artwork while others walk by or observe the scene.
Artist Archives

Pops Whitesell Photographs

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Staff Picks

Five children of diverse backgrounds kneel on grass, looking at a glowing star in the night sky. They wear colorful attire representing different cultures. The scene conveys unity and wonder.
Staff Picks

Christmas Card to Tessie, Leona, Ruby, and Gail

Learn More
A black conductors hat with a glossy visor and metallic band. It features a round badge with RAPID TRANSIT and BIG FOUR on the front, along with the number 1015 on a rectangular plaque below. The background is a neutral gray.
Staff Picks

Streetcar Operator’s Cap

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Colorful vintage poster titled Always for Pleasure features a person in an elaborate costume with feathers and intricate detailing. The person is smiling broadly and surrounded by bold, stylized text and artistic embellishments.
Staff Picks

Vintage Tipitina’s Posters

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A detailed, artistic map titled French Quarter, Vieux Carré. Central circular calendar surrounded by historical illustrations of buildings, street scenes, and events in the French Quarter, framed with decorative borders and figures.
Staff Picks

The How, When, and Where of Discriminating and Enjoyable Drinking

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A vintage sheet music cover titled The Mysterious Axmans Jazz (Dont Scare Me Papa). It shows a chaotic scene with musicians playing and a startled woman at a piano. Two inset portraits are at the bottom.
Staff Picks

The Mysterious Axman’s Jazz

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Vintage advertisement for Dr. G. H. Tichenors Antiseptic Refrigerant, featuring a soldier with an American flag. Lists uses such as for wounds, burns, and cramps. Produced by Dr. G. H. Tichenor Antiseptic Co. in New Orleans, USA.
Staff Picks

Dr. Tichenor’s Bottle Label

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A vintage illustration of a woman in a long dress sitting on a rustic bench in a garden. She holds a patterned shawl and gazes upwards. The scene is surrounded by lush foliage and a woven fence, creating a peaceful, nostalgic atmosphere.
Staff Picks

Les lys et les roses

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A vintage 78 RPM record with a red label in a brown paper sleeve. The label reads The Fat Man by Fats Domino and Imperial Records is printed at the top in red letters. The sleeve features a decorative design and Hollywood, California address.
Staff Picks

The Fat Man / Detroit City Blues

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Rare Books & Periodicals

The cover of the newspaper "Hospital Banner" from August of 1955.
Rare Books & Periodicals

Hospital Banner Newsletters

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A detailed, artistic map titled French Quarter, Vieux Carré. Central circular calendar surrounded by historical illustrations of buildings, street scenes, and events in the French Quarter, framed with decorative borders and figures.
Staff Picks

The How, When, and Where of Discriminating and Enjoyable Drinking

Learn More
A book cover for A Confederacy of Dunces featuring a man with a mustache and hat holding a hot dog. He is standing against a brick wall, and a shadowed hand reaches towards him from the background.
Rare Books & Periodicals

A Confederacy of Dunces

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A historic poster titled INFAMOUS! criticizes the conduct of officers and soldiers in New Orleans. It condemns harassment against local women and mandates respectful behavior. The message is issued by Maj. Gen. Butler.
Rare Books & Periodicals

Benjamin Butler’s Order No. 28

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Illustration of a brown pelican perched on a branch with green leaves in the background. The bird is depicted in profile, showcasing its long beak and distinctive plumage.
Rare Books & Periodicals

Audubon’s “Birds of America”

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Recent Acquisitions

Bob Kaufman Broadside Poems

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A photograph of the cover of “The Land We Love” magazine, Vol. 1, No. 5 (1866); Vol. 2, No. 2 (1866), September 1866.
Rare Books & Periodicals

The Land We Love

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A vintage illustration of a woman in a long dress sitting on a rustic bench in a garden. She holds a patterned shawl and gazes upwards. The scene is surrounded by lush foliage and a woven fence, creating a peaceful, nostalgic atmosphere.
Staff Picks

Les lys et les roses

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Research & Collections

Online Catalog

Search or browse through HNOC’s vast collections of manuscripts, artifacts, books, artwork, and more in our online catalog.

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A painting of a woman with a red headscarf and bare shoulders against a dark background. She is wearing a white garment and seated with one hand resting on her knee, looking directly at the viewer.

Visit the Williams Research Center

Explore centuries of Gulf South culture with unparalleled access to rare documents, art, and historic treasures. Stop in or browse our online catalog.

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Online Catalog

Research Tools

Through the Williams Research Center (WRC), HNOC offers scholars access to extensive collections related to the Gulf South, particularly New Orleans and Louisiana.

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