May 14, 2018
How did our current system of bail bonds come about? Jailing an accused person because they cannot pay bail has been unlawful in the entire federal criminal justice system for decades. This brief describes bail across the city’s 300-year history and how it morphed away from a right to be free before trial.
Learn MoreApr 30, 2018
The fight for civil rights have been continuous throughout New Orleans’ history. This brief examines the array of actions taken by black New Orleanians to achieve equal rights including lawsuits, organizing, and voting - tactics that continue to be used today.
Learn MoreApr 11, 2018
As New Orleans completes her 300th year, the tricentennial is an important moment to reflect on the city’s history and achievements. But in addition to celebrating their storied past, New Orleanians are eager to learn from it. Since 2005, when Katrina struck and the levees failed, New Orleanians have worked hard to rebuild their city better than before, preserving that which they treasure, while reforming and strengthening their institutions, and increasing opportunities for prosperity. The tricentennial represents an auspicious occasion for both celebration and reflection.
Learn MoreApr 05, 2018
Many topics in this collection touch upon where and how we have occupied this deltaic metropolis. This brief discusses what those historical settlement patterns imply for future prosperity and sustainability.
Learn MoreApr 05, 2018
Beneath New Orleans’ shared sense of tradition lies another reality marked by separation. This brief examines the history of neighborhood segregation in New Orleans and its impact on contemporary racial disparities in wealth, access to opportunity, and vulnerability to disaster risk.
Learn MoreMar 29, 2018
Beginning from the first incarnation of Orleans Parish Prison in 1721 by Bienville at Jackson Square to its current iteration under federal court supervision, the form and function of the jail has changed. Unearthing the history of the New Orleans jail and its relationship with the city, this essay discusses new solutions that include the voices of the impacted communities.
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Jun 14, 2017
With the update of the Louisiana Coastal Master Plan, the infusion of money from the BP settlement, and the existential issue of coastal land loss, Southeast Louisiana has the makings for a water management cluster.
Learn MoreMar 17, 2017
This infographic highlights the importance of minority-owned businesses and a few key policies and practices that can be undertaken to increase the benefits that can be realized to and from minority entrepreneurs.
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