This week we are highlighting the Battle of Port Hudson. On May 22, 1863, the siege of Port Hudson began. Port Hudson was a Confederate stronghold and was the final engagement in the Union’s campaign to recapture the Mississippi River in the Civil War. This siege helped to enhance the reputation of black soldiers in Union service.
In honor of National Armed Forces Day, we want to take this opportunity to thank all of the people who have served and we are going to take a look at another digital exhibits, “Dear Mr. Fletcher: Letters from the Second World War.”
The exhibit has the perfect introduction. It states:
Today we are celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month.
Here in Acadiana, we have had an active Jewish community for over a century. Established in 1869, Temple Shalom is located in downtown Lafayette. In 1913, the Lafayette Sisterhood was founded and its members have been active in educational and humanitarian projects. They also held many fundraising events like raffles and bake sales.
This week we are celebrating Children’s Book Week.
Although we are a university library, the Louisiana Collection has many children’s books that can be perused in the Jefferson Caffery Reading Room.
Children's Book Week was established in 1919. It has become so popular that it now has two dedicated weeks a year. This year those weeks are May 2-8 and Nov. 7-13. The purpose is to encourage children to read.
Festival International de Louisiane 2022 is the first Festival held in person since 2019, before the pandemic.
Affectionately known as JAM, the Jazz Appreciation Month celebration was created by the National Museum of American History. This year, the celebration is exploring the combination of Afro-Caribbean music and jazz which has led to the formation of Latin jazz. This year’s poster features Cachao and was created by Francis Henry Cuadro.
National Poetry Month is a celebration of poetry that happens each April. It was started in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets as a way to increase awareness and appreciation of poetry and poets in the United States.
Did you know about poetry in the collections? There are several collections that contain original poetry written by people with an Acadiana connection.
2023 Theses and Dissertations have arrived!
Did you know that the University of Louisiana at Lafayette is celebrating our 125th anniversary this year? There will be an Academic Showcase on March 12th in the Student Union.
This week for Fun Fact Friday (#FFF), Special Collections is highlighting the Doris Broussard Bentley Collection.
