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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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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.

Audubon’s “Birds of America”

John James Audubon’s masterpiece of naturalist art is on display in a double-elephant folio as part of HNOC’s ongoing exhibition A Vanishing Bounty.

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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.

Bunny Matthews Archive

In a substantial new acquisition, the archive of a distinctly New Orleans cartoonist comes to HNOC.

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A vibrant, surreal painting with a woman in patterned clothing holding a fish and a kettle. A crowd of diverse people surrounds her, along with abstract elements like a clown face, pelican, and flag, set against a backdrop of buildings and swirling colors.

Homage to the French Quarter

The bohemian scene of midcentury New Orleans comes to life in this exciting acquisition.

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A soft, blurred painting of a tranquil, wooded landscape. Dark trees stand near a calm body of water, reflecting the serene atmosphere of the scene. The sky is overcast, adding a hazy and muted tone to the overall image.

Black River Country

Painter Alexander John Drysdale was known for his landscapes, for which he used a technique of thinning oil paint with kerosene.

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A stylized portrait of a person looking upwards, depicted using bold black lines and an orange background. The illustration emphasizes strong facial features and contrasts light and shadow with a white pattern on the shirt.

I Am the Black Woman

A rare series of 14 linocuts by Elizabeth Catlett carries her manifesto on behalf of Black American women.

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Signature Collections

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

Ursuline Music Manuscript

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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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Artist Archives

Juvenile and Polo Silk, between 1992 and 1999.
Recent Acquisitions

Polo Silk Photographs

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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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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 city street is heavily flooded, with water reaching building heights. People gather on a section of dry road in the foreground. The skyline of a city with high-rise buildings is visible in the background, partially obscured by mist.
Artist Archives

7:28AM August 30, 2005

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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 soft, blurred painting of a tranquil, wooded landscape. Dark trees stand near a calm body of water, reflecting the serene atmosphere of the scene. The sky is overcast, adding a hazy and muted tone to the overall image.
Laussat Acquisitions

Black River Country

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An artistic print shows a silhouetted figure holding a bright orange torch walks through a dense, swamp-like forest with tangled branches and hanging moss.
Recent Acquisitions

Zanatta Editions Environmental Art Prints

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A vintage sepia-toned photo of two women. The left woman, labeled Stormy, wears a dark strapless dress. The right woman, labeled Torchy, wears a white blouse and dark pants. They pose together affectionately, with their arms around each other.
Recent Acquisitions

Dorothea “Torchy” Wilde Papers

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Staff Picks

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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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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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 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.
Staff Picks

Ursuline Communion Wafer Iron

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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.
Staff Picks

Jordan Noble Drum

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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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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.
Staff Picks

Cypress Water Pipe

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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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Rare Books & Periodicals

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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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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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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Cover of the book Mosquitoes by William Faulkner. It features red illustrations of mosquitoes and diagonal red text on a pale green background. The author is also noted as the writer of Soldiers Pay.
Rare Books & Periodicals

Mosquitoes

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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 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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Recent Acquisitions

Bob Kaufman Broadside Poems

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

Hospital Banner Newsletters

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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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