Greg Robinson presents “Unknown History of Japanese in Louisiana”

The Center for Louisiana Studies, in partnership with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Department of History and Geography, invites the public to a free lecture by Greg Robinson, Professor of History at the Université du Québec à Montréal. Robinson’s talk, “The Unknown History of Japanese in Louisiana,” is informed by research conducted in UL Lafayette’s various archival collections and is funded by the Jamie and Thelma Guilbeau Charitable Trust.  The talk will be Thursday, March 23, beginning at 12pm at the Ernest J. Gaines Center on the third floor of Edith Garland Dupré Library.

Robinson’s forthcoming book explores the history of economic and cultural connections between Japan and Louisiana through the twentieth century. His research focus in the UL Lafayette collections centers on the rice industry and how Japan shaped local rice culture and industry, including the introduction of new grains and development of hybrids, new milling techniques and training, as well as immigration, economic growth and tariffs.

The Guilbeau Charitable Trust fosters scholarly inquiry into Louisiana topics and offers several funding opportunities and public lectures throughout the year.

For more information about this event, please call 337.482.6027 or email clspresents@louisiana.edu.