Louisiana and the Francophonie

Today's episode is about the story behind Louisiana becoming a member of the Francophonie, also known as l'Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie.

The Francophonie is comprised of 84 countries, provinces, and one state (Louisiana) whose membership works together to celebrate and preserve French language and culture.

To help us learn about the Francophonie and Louisiana's role in it, I'm joined by Scott Tilton and Rudy Bazenet.

Scott is a New Orleans native who developed a passion for the French language as a child and led the charge to lobby Louisiana's leadership to apply for admission to the Francophonie.

Rudy Bazenet works in the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and partnered with Scott on this project.

We discuss the road to membership, Louisiana's rich French history, and more.

 

Previous Episodes Mentioned

• St. Bernard Parish Massacre of 1868 - Episode #100
• Guidebooks to Sin: the Blue Books of Storyville, New Orleans - Episode #34
• The Madams, Music and Musicians of Storyville, New Orleans - Episode #35

Beyond Bourbon Street Sponsors

Two Chicks Walking Tours If you love New Orleans, you’ve probably wandered through the Garden District. It is beautiful, but it really comes to life when you have a guide who can tell you about the history and about the people who live there.

On a Two Chicks Walking tour you learn about the architecture, the residents and more. You also get to tour Lafayette Cemetery, just across the street from Commander’s Palace.

Two Chicks keeps their tour groups small and offers a more intimate experience than most. You’ll have time to ask your questions and really walk away getting an insider’s perspective of the Garden District.

Two Chicks also offers tours of St. Louis Cemetery #1 and the Ladies of the Night tour. Whatever you choose, know you will be in great hands and will have a wonderful time. Use code BEYOND and save 15%. twochickswalkingtours.com

 

The Old 77 Hotel and Chandlery When you're ready to make your plans to visit New Orleans, you'll need a place to stay!

The Old 77 is ideally situated in the Warehouse District, just three blocks from the French Quarter. It features a variety of pet-friendly rooms, the award-winning Compere Lapin restaurant, and more.

You'll love the location, the rooms, and the food, but the details and the service are what you'll fall in love with!

To book your room, click here or use code BBOLD77 to save 25% off their regular rates.

Thank You

Thanks to Scott Tilton and Rudy Bazent for being my guest on today's episode.

A special thanks to Greg Tilton for introducing me to Scott, and for turning me on to this story. Greg has his own podcast called Rumor Flies. It is what you would get if you mashed up Myth Busters and Snopes, and made that into a podcast!

Thanks also to Joel Sharpton from Pro Podcasting Services for being the intro voice of the Beyond Bourbon Street podcast.

Resources

If you would like to learn more about the topics we discussed today, Scott and Rudy recommended these resources.

• Overview: Creole New Orleans: Race and Americanization (Louisiana State University Press, 1992) for an overview of Creole New Orleans.
• Musical connections: Louis Armstrong’s New Orleans (Thomas Brothers, 2006) for an overview of the Creole cultural connection to the creation of jazz.
• Contemporary culture and revival: Here’s a video of a French-speaking group based in New Orleans called Sweet Crude. The video was shot in New Orleans and is called Mon Esprit.

Subscribe to the Podcast

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

If you do enjoy listening, please share Beyond Bourbon Street with someone who shares our love of New Orleans.

Support Us on Patreon

Would you like to help us continue to create the content you love? If so, join the Super Krewe by becoming a financial supporter.

Your monthly support will help us grow, and will provide you with exclusive content, early access to ticketed events, and more. If you would like to join the Super Krewe, check out our Patreon page at patreon.com/beyondbourbonst.

Contact Us

Got an idea for an episode, have some feedback or just want to say hi?

Leave us a message at 504-475-7632 or send an email to [email protected].

Thanks for listening!

Mark