Arrived into town yesterday afternoon and hit the ground running. Went to the African-American museum in New Orleans, which tends to be a good starting point for the project. Learned that there is no Civil Rights memorial or museum, which we all found to be a bit interesting. I then met up with the director of a great organization based in New Orleans, Contemplatives in Action (www.contemplativesinaction.org) We went on a tour of the Lower Ninth Ward, the levee, and the new homes being built. It was one of those emotions I could not prepare myself for when I drove over the bridge to enter the Lower Ninth ward. It is like the wind is taken out of you when you see the devastation and the different people still going on about their everyday lives. It is important to know that people in our country are having to live like they were, but it is very hard to see. We then went to the elementary school that Ruby Bridges integrated, which is boarded up and soon to be torn down. Our next stop was a small plaque on a dead end street dedicated to Homer Plessy who was invol
ved in the court case that jump started the Jim Crow laws. The rest of the afternoon was spent exploring the different neighborhoods in New Orleans.... it really is a special/different kind of place. Ended the night hearing some local big band/New Orleans style music; that music really lives your soul. Today is my second day in the Big Easy -- much more to explore.Pictured to the right is a neighborhood in the lower ninth ward.
Were you able to see where St. Barnard St. was, it was right by St.John's Bayou..and not far from City Park .probably destroyed by the hurricane. We lived there for 2 years. First house we lived in was a rented house in Metarie.We attended Metarie Baptist Church.All three of us went to Elementary School at Bienville Elem. Just a little more trivia for you.
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