OGDEN MUSEUM OF SOUTHERN ART -
In honor of the 2nd Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, The Ogden Museum of Southern Art, University of New Orleans will open its doors to all patrons for free on Wednesday, August 29 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“After Hurricane Katrina, The Ogden’s mission expanded to focus on the cultural rebuilding and restoration of New Orleans,” said J. Richard Gruber, Director of The Ogden Museum. "A true testament to the dedication and determination of our staff, board and members, the Ogden reopened on
October 27th, 2005 with James Andrews performing at Ogden After Hours for an audience of 600 people. The Ogden quickly became a home away from home for all New Orleanians where they came to visit with friends, hear local musicians perform, and view exhibitions that focus on our region.”

On August 29, The Ogden exhibitions include Southern Masters Series: Robert Warrens, Hunt Slonem: Artist and Collector and Jerry Siegel’s Portraits of Southern Artists.

HISTORIC NEW ORLEANS COLLECTION -

To commemorate the anniversary, The Historic New Orleans Collection will host Oral History Day – a two-part event focusing on The Collection’s own oral history project and on the online archive www.DoYouKnowWhatItMeans.org.

Stories of the New Orleans Fire Department
Wednesday, August 29
9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
The Counting House
533 Royal Street

The Collection’s oral history project, “Through Hell and High Water: New Orleans, August 29–September 15, 2005,” chronicles the experiences of the police officers, firefighters, emergency dispatchers, Coast Guard units, and medical personnel on duty during Hurricane Katrina. As part of the project, The Collection and the New Orleans Fire Department are seeking individuals who were aided by NOFD personnel during Katrina to provide their oral histories. The interviews will be added to the NOFD’s after-action assessment, which will be used to improve planning and procedures, and will become part of the “Through Hell and High Water” archive housed at The Historic New Orleans Collection for the benefit of future generations.
     Anyone who received assistance from NOFD personnel after the hurricane is encouraged to participate in Oral History Day. The Collection’s oral historians will be conducting interviews in the Counting House at 533 Royal Street, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 29. Participants may schedule appointments by calling (504) 523-4662 and specifying the NOFD oral history project.

Do You Know What it Means: A Presentation and Demonstration

Wednesday, August 29
2:00–4:30 p.m.
Williams Research Center
410 Chartres Street

Shortly after Hurricane Katrina displaced tens of thousands of New Orleans residents, members of the School of Visual Arts in New York and George Mason University’s Center for History and New Media created the website www.DoYouKnowWhatItMeans.org. This collaborative effort strives to capture the untold stories of New Orleans and its people through an accessible digital archive of photographs, videos, family histories, interviews, and other artifacts.
     Website developers Charles Traub and Amy Stein, both of the SVA, and Sheila Brennan of George Mason University will formally present the online archive to The Collection, which will administer the site’s continued development. The presentation and demonstration will begin at 2:00 p.m. in the Boyd Cruise Room of the Williams Research Center, 410 Chartres Street. A reception will immediately follow.
Oral History Day is free and open to the public. For more information, visit The Collection online at www.hnoc.org or call (504) 523-4662.