The Trail They Blazed: An Interactive Exhibition at The Historic New Orleans Collection

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — New Orleans is such a unique city with a storied past and present. The city is a place where so much change happened in the fight toward human rights, equality and freedom.

The Trail They Blazed, an exhibition that returns to The Historic New Orleans Collection, puts a spotlight on the Mid-century Civil Rights Movement.

Everything that modern residents and visitors alike enjoy, is possible because of the contributions of a few brave individuals.

The exhibitions tell many stories, and The Historic New Orleans Collection organization worked hand in hand with surviving history makers to showcase the best of humanity. Eric Seiferth is a curator and historian and knows much of New Orleans’ history.

“On Nov. 14, four 6-year-old girls desegregated the public schools in New Orleans accompanied by U.S. Marshals. They needed Federal Marshals because of the violent threats they were receiving and the mobs standing outside of those schools,” explains Seiferth.

One of the highlights of the exhibit is a streetcar bench with a race screen. The race screen was a movable plaque that segregated busses and streetcars. Some Black New Orleanians moved it further up to push back against restrictive seating in the streetcar or threw it out the window. It was a real battleground.

There are many ways visitors can experience history. There is an interactive 1960s voter registration test on a touchscreen. “This test was designed to restrict voting access. Registration was ultimately controlled by the registrar. This form allowed registrars to deny Black registrants the opportunity to vote,” explains Seiferth.

The Trail They Blazed is free to experience. It only requires a reservation. It will be at The Historic New Orleans Collection for a year.

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