NATCHITOCHES, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – The 17th Annual Louisiana Studies Conference was held this past weekend at Northwestern State University, drawing 42 scholars, writers, and cultural authorities from across the country.

Themed “Louisiana Dramas,” the conference featured 11 panels covering topics from foodways and history to music and politics. Keynote speaker Dr. Sean Bartley, associate professor of theatre history at NSU, examined Irving Berlin’s 1940 Broadway satire, Louisiana Purchase.

NSU students performed scenes, musical numbers, and winning entries from the Louisiana High School Essay Contest. The event was co-sponsored by the Louisiana Folklife Center, NSU’s College of Arts and Sciences, and the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities.

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