"Finding Your Roots": In Conversation with Branford Marsalis at the US Embassy

Branford Marsalis, me

Last week I was lucky enough to be asked to take part in an event at the US Embassy organised by PBS America to promote their new documentary series Finding Your Roots. They screened an episode that featured the New Orleans family histories of jazz legends Branford Marsalis and Harry Connick Jr. - you can watch a preview, here. Branford Marsalis himself flew in for the event, above, and I was part of a Q&A session with him after the screening. I'd certainly recommend watching the episode (indeed, the series) if you get a chance - it touches on fascinating dimensions of New Orleans history throughout, replaying so many of the issues and moments raised in Southern Queen in a very intimate way.

BBC History Magazine Travel Special: New Orleans

BBC History Magazine kindly asked me to contribute to the history travel supplement that comes with this month's issue (January 2013). I was very happy to oblige - and, unsurprisingly, picked New Orleans as my historical destination of choice. A few scans below:

History Today: The Big Uneasy

History Today, August 2011

My article on New Orleans and its historic relationship with disasters of one kind and another is up now on the History Today website, and out in print next week. It was a pleasure to write, and they've done a lovely job with the illustrations. I think it pinpoints a lot of things in miniature that I touch on in depth in Southern Queen. So enjoy! Below, further information about some of the figures that I mention, and links to some of the sources that I used.

BBC History Magazine: New Orleans in 1858

My travel guide to New Orleans in 1858 is out today in this month's BBC History Magazine (June 2011). This was a fun piece to write, not least because it threw up some interesting research questions. Much of the material I had to hand because of Southern Queen, but it also caused me to have to think about some peculiar specifics.