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Archival Collections

The holdings of the Center for Louisiana Studies Archives illustrate the scope of field recording in Louisiana, from historic recordings to recent field work. It is the world's largest collection of Cajun and Creole field recordings, oral histories, and other folklife materials, as well as a vast image archive focused on Louisiana history and culture. The core of the collection consists of more than 300 field collections–unique and irreplaceable recordings collected by anthropologists, linguists, ethnomusicologists, folklorists, photographers, students, and the public interested in preserving the voices and culture of Louisiana. Extensive holdings of field recordings of music, oral histories, and images.

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Collection Highlights

Warren Perrin Collection

American author, lawyer, and cultural activist Warren Perrin donated this collection in 2020. The collection consists of Louisiana radio recordings and oral histories conducted with World War II veterans from Vermilion Parish.

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Patricia Kennedy Rickels Collection

Fieldwork of the American author, Civil Rights advocate, folklorist, and researcher who taught for 50 years at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The collection includes oral histories, student work, photographs, and audio recordings.

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Ben Sandmel Collection

American author, researcher, and journalist Ben Sandmel’s interviews with Louisiana musicians and members of the music industry, including Boozoo Chavis, Stanley “Buckwheat” Dural, Hackberry Ramblers, Mark and Ann Savoy, Eddie Shuler, and others.

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Jason Theriot Collection

American author and researcher Jason Theriot’s oral history interviews, including oil field personnel, World War II veterans, and includes the source material for the podcast "Frenchie: The Story of the French-Speaking Cajuns of World War II."

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Michael Tisserand Collection

Donated in 2020 by American author and journalist Michael Tisserand, this collection consists of interviews and live performances of musicians associated with Louisiana traditional music, conducted as research in his 1998 book “The Kingdom of Zydeco.”

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