Letters

9/12/05

A Heavy Heart for New Orleans

My heart is very heavy today as I reflect upon the city of New Orleans. Not only have so many precious lives been lost, but as well so very much of the cultural history of African-Americans. New Orleans was the gathering place of African Americans in the diaspora who came north from Haiti, Brazil, Cuba, and other nations that participated in the triangular trade.

Whenever we hear jazz — or indeed, almost any African American music — we know that it came from New Orleans. Those who walk by my office in Rachel Carson Hall can see the photograph taken in south Harlem of the great jazz musicians from the Harlem Renaissance. All of their music was born in New Orleans!

The vernacular style of house known as the shotgun house, the cemeteries of African-American freedmen, all of the beautiful gardens of bottle trees and the streets where Mardi Gras freedmen used to play and the old houses of vodun ("voodoo")--all were there. They all may be gone.

Perhaps anyone who wishes could join me in sending out good thoughts
to the people of New Orleans and their families, but in particular to the African-American community for their great loss. We recall how resilient the African-American people have been and continue to be, and remember that African Americans have always created beauty and meaning from seemingly irreparable loss.

Janet Hess
Assistant Professor, Hutchins School of Liberal Studies
Sonoma State University

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Updated 9/13/05
Jean Wasp