History of African Amercians in Lafayette Told Through Photographs

Jan. 17, 2012 - PRLog -- The newest addition to Arcadia Publishing’s popular Images of America series is African Americans in Lafayette and Southwest Louisiana from local author Sherry T. Broussard. The book boasts more than 200 vintage images and memories of days gone by.

African Americans in Lafayette and Southwest Louisiana sheds a spotlight on some of the heroes and heroines of Southwest Louisiana. This area of the state is especially diverse and includes people who describe themselves as African Americans, Creoles, mulattoes, and blacks. Many people say they have mixed bloodlines that include Native American, African, and French ancestors.

Their arts, culture, food, music, and crafts are distinct and rich with flavors of the past and the present. The Creoles and mulattoes, for example, speak the language of Creole, which is described as broken French.

Broussard is an educator, former academic librarian, storyteller, and community activist who has an avid interest in black history and culture. Broussard has produced black history and cultural programs for over 30 years in schools, churches, public libraries, academic libraries, and museums in Lafayette and Southwestern Louisiana.

Broussard holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in education from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (currently known as UL-Lafayette), Southern University, Louisiana State University, and East Tennessee State University. She is the founder and president of Bayouland Storytellers Guild of Southwest Louisiana and the Just Write Cultural Arts Group, and cofounder of Malunda African-American Book Club.

Available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at www.arcadiapublishing.com or
(888)-313-2665.  

Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States.  Our mission is to make history accessible and meaningful through the publication of books on the heritage of America’s people and places.  Have we done a book on your town?  Visit www.arcadiapublishing.com.

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With more than 7,500 local history titles published to date, Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States. Widely recognized sepia books feature hundreds of vintage historical images.